TV Licensing Blubs to YouTube

The hypocrisy of TV Licensing always makes us laugh.

We've previously used the analogy that TV Licensing is like a schoolyard bully. Every day the bully goes around threatening the little kids for their dinner money. Eventually, having endured months of unwarranted threats and aggression, one little kid plucks up enough courage to give the bully a well deserved slap. As soon as the little kid hits back the bully goes running to teacher, their pants dripping with piss and eyes welling with tears, looking for copious amounts of sympathy.

Every day we hear tales of how TV Licensing employees have broken rules in some way or another. Just a few days ago one of their employees attended a Ballymena property, was threatening and aggressive, told a pack of lies and tried to knock the occupier's camera from his hand. There is no doubt at all about any of those facts, as they were all captured on camera.

As TV Licensing regularly demonstrates a very footloose interpretation of the rules, it amazes us how easily they get upset the moment a member of the legally-licence-free community tries to reciprocate. There is no better example than the way TV Licensing blubs to YouTube the moment anyone uploads critical content about them.

As we've said on numerous previous occasions, it is perfectly legal for anyone to film TV Licensing employees visiting their property or working in a public place. 

The most recent edition of the TV Licensing Visit Procedures, a comprehensive list of rules they often ignore, even confirms that fact: "There is no law prohibiting an individual from taking either photographs or video footage of an EO (Enquiry Officer) conducting a visit on private property. Accordingly, the EO should not, under any circumstances, confront or try to prevent an occupant who wishes to do so."

Our good friend Doyle Williams, not his real name, recently asked the BBC to provide information about the number of TV Licensing related YouTube videos they had flagged or otherwise attempted to censor. Their response confirms that they actively log, flag and attempt to sanitise any video that shows them in a bad light.

Of particular interest is the email dated 23rd February 2012 in Disclosure Document 2. That email, originating from TV Licensing PR harlots Fishburn Hedges, states the following: "Just wanted to flag two YouTube videos that feature images/filming of EOs. The first is a wider piece on TVL harassment, in which the person claims TVL EOs call and claim to be from other companies."

That is of relevance, because the TV Licensing goon in the recent Ballymena video said quite clearly: "No, I'm not from TV Licensing." That seems to reinforce the notion that some TV Licensing goons are less than honest about their true identities, despite TV Licensing's pretence to the contrary.

TV Licensing also flagged the video that promotes the most recent version of our free ebook, TV Licensing Laid Bare, although it doesn't seem to have done them much good. Download your free copy today, safe in the knowledge it is the BBC's reading material of choice.

Things are currently hotting up on Twitter, so it would be interesting to see any information the BBC holds about TV Licensing critical Twitter content. Having said that, we can now imagine the shredders at BBC White City whirring into action!

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