YouTube bans all videos from an extremist cleric

YouTube's efforts to catch and take down terrorist videos include some far-reaching measures. The New York Times has learned that YouTube recently removed and blocked all videos from Anwar al-Awlaki, a cleric who turned extremist and was killed by an American drone strike in 2011. While it's only his later clips that technically run afoul of YouTube guidelines, the streaming giant determined that all of them ultimately had to go. Supporters of his terrorist cause have reposted his moderate material in a show of support -- getting rid of everything theoretically prevents these adherents from finding something to rally around. The company hasn't publicly confirmed that a cull took place, but it's easy to see the effect.