YouTube pledges $1 million toward police reform
YouTube has its faults, but it's also one of the few brands that stepped up swiftly with a tangible response to widespread protests against police brutality.
On Friday, the company tweeted a pledge to donate $1 million "in support of efforts to address social injustice." It was a vague promise at the time, motivated by what the company described as a desire to "stand in solidarity against racism and violence."
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More clarity came on Sunday in the form of a brief YouTube post, bearing the title "Stand Against Racial Injustice." The video is basically the same as a Nike ad that ran in response to the protests – just white text on a black background, set to soft piano music – but it reveals the beneficiary of YouTube's donation pledge as the Center for Policing Equity.
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It's a non-profit research center that embraces the idea of using "data science for justice." The website describes the Center's staff as "research scientists, race and equity experts, data virtuosos, and community trainers" who use "data as tools to build more fair and just systems."
It looks like much of the work they do takes the form of consulting with police departments and using their data science wizardry to improve local policing efforts, with a particular eye toward reform and eliminating racial biases. The idea of using data science to improve police effectiveness isn't new (and has faced criticism in the past), but this non-profit seems to have the right philosophical approach, at least.
And hey. Look. It's something. There's been a lot of empty, nothing statements around the protests from brands that were seemingly looking for an easy PR win. Whether or not you think YouTube is partnering with the right organization, this is at least a tangible action aimed at improving the world.
That's the kind of behavior we should be applauding, and trying to emulate. There are plenty of ways we can all do our part to help during this difficult moment.
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
