YouTube released a new tool Wednesday that blurs faces, to be used in footage requiring anonymity.This new editing feature comes two months after the launch of YouTube’s Human Rights channel. To blur faces in a video, you simply go to the Video Enhancements tool and press the “Blur Faces” option. You can preview your video with blurred faces before you press publish and delete the original footage. In the case the editing tool doesn’t catch faces due to poor lighting, angles or obstructions, you can keep your video private and never publish the compromising footage.

According to a recent Pew study, YouTube is playing an increasingly large role as a news source around the world. YouTube hopes the ability to blur faces will encourage people around the world to share video more widely without risking repercussions for those involved. In a company statement, YouTube sees this as a tool to protect protesters and advocates, as well as the identities of children.

This tool has the potential to encourage more people to share footage, without the fear of putting a video’s subjects at risk.

[Mashable]