'Sesame Street' YouTube: Hackers Expose Kids to Porn
“Sesame Street’s” YouTube channel has been shut down after sexually explicit videos were posted to the site by hackers Sunday.
Online reports indicated that the site was taken down after changes were made to its content. Pornography was posted, as well as changes to the channel’s profile, which included, “Who doesn't love porn kids? Right! Everyone loves it! Im MREDXWX and my partner MRSUICIDER91 are here to bring you many nice content! Please don't let Sesame Street to get this account back kids please... Let me and MRSUICIDER91 have it and we gonna make all the America happy!"
Several pornographic videos were uploaded to the site for the popular children’s show, which has over 140,000 subscribers.
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The YouTube user and hacker MREDXWX posted a message shortly after the incident denying the action, writing, “I did not hack Sesame Street. I am an honest YouTuber.” The online gamer added, “I work hard to make quality gameplay videos, and most important I respect the community guidelines.”
YouTube suspended the channel, citing “repeated or severe violations of our Community Guidelines.”
Google, which owns YouTube, released a statement Sunday: “YouTube’s Community Guidelines prohibit graphic content. As always, we remove inappropriate material as soon as we are made aware of it.”
An apology was issued Sunday by Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind Sesame Street.
“Our channel was compromised and we are presently working with YouTube/Google to restore our original content,” said the group. “We always strive to provide age-appropriate content for our viewers and hope to resolve this problem quickly.”
Several YouTube channels intended for young audiences have been hacked in the past. In May 2010 the site removed explicit content from hundreds of videos that mixed adult material with children’s TV programs and music videos.
Videos by The Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana were among those that were replaced with pornography and needed removal.
