The Movie Artists Association (MAA), led by Vishnu Manchu, has taken action against YouTube channels posting offensive content. This move follows the arrest of YouTuber Praneeth Hanumanthu, who made inappropriate jokes about child abuse during a live session. Many Tollywood celebrities have supported this action.
The crackdown has begun. Five YouTube channels have been terminated for posting derogatory comments about actors, their families, and personal attacks. This is just the start. We will continue to update the list as we take further action…
— MAA Telugu (@itsmaatelugu) July 13, 2024
MAA’s Actions Against Offensive Content
So far, the MAA has blocked 23 YouTube channels for their harmful content. Earlier this month, Vishnu Manchu asked YouTubers to remove offensive content. He announced on Twitter, “The crackdown has begun. Five YouTube channels have been terminated for posting offensive comments about actors, their families, and personal attacks. This is just the start. We will continue to update the list as we take further action…”
As part of our ongoing efforts on terminating the YouTube channels for posting derogatory content on our artists.
We have blocked an additional 18 channels that spread harmful content.
Stay tuned for further updates.#MAA #RespectOurArtists pic.twitter.com/rDnCJbDVHX
— MAA Telugu (@itsmaatelugu) July 24, 2024
On Wednesday, the association tweeted that they had blocked 18 more YouTube channels and released a list of these channels. They wrote, “As part of our ongoing efforts to stop YouTube channels from posting offensive content about our artists, we have blocked an additional 18 channels that spread harmful content. Stay tuned for further updates.”
Vishnu Manchu’s Statement
On July 10, Vishnu Manchu released a video on his Instagram, praising actor Sai Dharam Tej for bringing the issue to light. He expressed his concern over the behavior of some Telugu YouTubers. “Some Telugu people are behaving horribly online, giving us a bad name. A few days ago, Sai Dharam Tej questioned Hanumantu. The video was so bad that even the Chief Minister and authorities responded. Why would anyone behave like that?”
Vishnu said the MAA received many complaints about similar channels. He warned, “People talk horribly about heroines and actors’ wives under the guise of dark humor. I appeal to everyone who makes such videos to take them down within 48 hours. If they don’t, we will take action, flag it to YouTube, complain to Cybersecurity, and take legal action to ban your channel. I appeal to Telangana and AP authorities to support us in this.”
The Incident That Triggered the Crackdown
The crackdown began after Praneeth and other YouTubers hosted a live session where they reacted to an Instagram reel by making inappropriate jokes about the relationship between a father and a young daughter. Actor Sai Dharam Tej was the first to notice and call out Praneeth for the video. Many actors, including Nara Rohith, Sudheer Babu, Karthikeya, and Manchu Manoj, also reacted and reported the video to authorities, leading to Praneeth’s arrest.
The actions taken by the MAA, led by Vishnu Manchu, show a strong stance against online content that promotes harmful and offensive messages. This crackdown sets an example for stricter monitoring and regulation of content on social media platforms, ensuring a safer and more respectful environment for artists and the general public.
