Hare Krishna. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Devotees long utilized social media platforms like Facebook to share live stream videos of spiritual teachings, kirtans, and events, connecting devotees worldwide with the wisdom of revered Gurus such as HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, HH Gopal Krishna Maharaj, HH Bhakti Charu Swami, and other devotees. However, a significant policy change by Facebook, effective February 19, 2025, threatens this digital heritage. The new policy limits live video storage to 30 days, after which they are automatically deleted, with existing videos older than 30 days scheduled for deletion in waves starting around June 29, 2025. This article provides a guide to preserve these invaluable spiritual resources, including live streams, lectures, and personal spiritual content, by downloading them from Facebook, uploading them to alternative platforms, and engaging ISKCON’s media ministries to ensure their accessibility for future generations. Even as individuals who have saved their personal ceremonies such as initiations or other content will lose those videos.
Facebook’s Policy Change and Its Implications
Facebook’s updated live video storage policy, announced on February 18, 2025, marks a shift from indefinite storage to a 30-day limit for new live broadcasts. Existing live videos older than 30 days will be removed in phases, with notifications sent to users via email and in-app alerts, providing a 90-day window to download or transfer content. Users can also defer deletion for up to six months or convert videos into Reels for temporary preservation on the platform. This change, driven by the observation that most views occur within the first few weeks post-broadcast, aims to align with industry standards and reduce storage costs.
Policy Detail: https://about.fb.com/news/2025/02/updating-our-facebook-live-video-storage-policy/
Description
Effective Date
February 19, 2025, for new broadcasts; older videos deleted from June 2025
Storage Limit
30 days for new live videos; older videos to be deleted
Notification Period
90 days from notification to download or transfer
Deferral Option
Can postpone deletion for up to 6 months
Conversion Option
Convert live videos to Reels for temporary preservation
This policy poses a significant risk to ISKCON’s digital archives, as many live videos, including those of HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, HH Gopal Krishna Maharaj, HH Bhakti Charu Swami, and other devotees, are older than 30 days and face deletion if not preserved promptly.
Key ISKCON Figures and Their Media Presence
The following ISKCON Gurus and their associated Facebook pages are critical for preservation efforts:
HH Kadamba Kanana Swami (1953–2023): A senior ISKCON guru known for his engaging teachings and kirtans, his live videos are primarily hosted on the Media Kadamba Kanana Swami page, which has 9,549 likes. The Kadamba Foundation, established to preserve his legacy, has archived many of his videos on their YouTube channel.
HH Gopal Krishna Maharaj: A prominent ISKCON leader and the first Indian disciple of Srila Prabhupada, his content is available on the Gopal Krishna Goswami page, with 74,000 likes, and his website gkgoswami.com.
HH Bhakti Charu Swami (1945–2020): Known for his profound spiritual knowledge and media projects, his live videos are on the Bhakti Charu Swami Live page (5,180 likes) and the memorial page HH Bhakti CHARU Swami Maharaj -in memory (11,333 likes). His YouTube channel is Bhakti Charu Swami.
Other ISKCON Gurus and Devotees: The ISKCON Governing Body Commission lists 83 initiating Gurus, many with social media presence. Pages like ISKCON News and temple-specific pages host additional live content, including lectures and personal spiritual streams.
Steps to Preserve Live Stream Videos
To safeguard these videos, administrators and devotees must act swiftly. Below are detailed steps to preserve the content:
1. Identify and Access Relevant Content
Manual Browsing: Due to privacy restrictions, a comprehensive list of all posts cannot be generated externally. Administrators should visit the respective Facebook pages to browse the “Videos” or “Live Videos” sections and identify live streams, lectures, kirtans, and personal spiritual content.
Key Pages:
Gopal Krishna Goswami
Bhakti Charu Swami Live
HH Bhakti CHARU Swami Maharaj -in memory
Media Kadamba Kanana Swami
Other ISKCON pages, such as ISKCON Bangalore and ISKCON Juhu.
2. Download Videos from Facebook
For Page Administrators:
Check Notifications: Look for emails or in-app notifications from Facebook about impending video deletions, which provide a 90-day window to act.
Bulk Download: Use the “Download Live Videos” option in the notification to save all videos scheduled for deletion in a compressed file.
Individual Download: Navigate to the “Videos” tab, select a video, open it in full-screen view, click the three dots (More options), and choose “Download video.” Downloads are best performed on a desktop or laptop, as mobile devices may not support this feature for older live videos.
For Non-Administrators:
Contact page administrators to request that they download and share the videos.
If videos are public, third-party tools like Snapsave or Fdown.net can be used by copying and pasting the video URL, but prioritize official methods to comply with Facebook’s terms of service.
3. Upload to Alternative Platforms
To ensure long-term accessibility, downloaded videos should be uploaded to stable platforms:
YouTube:
YouTube is a reliable platform for preserving and sharing videos. The Kadamba Foundation has set a precedent by uploading HH Kadamba Kanana Swami’s videos to their YouTube channel.
Create dedicated channels for each Guru or a centralized ISKCON channel to host videos. Ensure proper tagging (e.g., “ISKCON,” “Krishna Consciousness,” “HH Gopal Krishna Maharaj”) for discoverability.
ISKCON Archives and Media Ministries:
The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) and local temple media teams can assist in archiving and distributing videos. Contact them through ISKCON’s official channels or temple websites like ISKCON Bangalore.
Establish a centralized ISKCON digital library to store and share these videos, ensuring accessibility for devotees worldwide.
4. Encourage Media and Tape Ministries
ISKCON has a rich history of preserving spiritual content through media ministries and tape distribution services. These organizations can play a pivotal role in this effort:
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT): As a key ISKCON publishing entity, the BBT can help archive and distribute videos. HH Gopal Krishna Maharaj has served as a BBT trustee, making it a relevant contact for his content.
Local Temple Media Teams: Temples like ISKCON Bangalore and ISKCON Juhu have media teams that produce and archive content. Collaborate with them to ensure videos are properly labeled and organized.
Community Initiatives: Encourage devotees to form media preservation teams to coordinate downloading, uploading, and cataloging efforts. These teams can work with existing ministries to streamline the process.
5. Convert Live Videos to Saved Formats
Editing and Repurposing:
Use video editing software to create shorter clips for social media or compile longer content for educational purposes. Tools like MiniTool MovieMaker can assist in editing downloaded videos.
6. Community Collaboration and Awareness
Raise Awareness: Share this issue within ISKCON communities and on platforms like X to encourage collective action. Devotees can post about the urgency of preserving videos to mobilize support.
Contact Administrators: If you lack admin access, reach out to page administrators via Facebook messages or through ISKCON temple contacts. For example, the Kadamba Foundation can be contacted via kadambafoundation.com.
Organize Efforts: Hold virtual or in-person meetings to coordinate preservation efforts across ISKCON communities. Assign roles for downloading, uploading, and archiving to ensure efficiency.
This situation highlights the vulnerability of relying on social media platforms for archiving spiritual content. ISKCON could consider establishing independent digital archives to reduce dependence on external platforms. Platforms like Mayapur TV and centralized ISKCON websites could serve as long-term repositories. Additionally, the preservation effort can inspire devotees to digitize other forms of spiritual content, such as audio recordings and manuscripts, to create a comprehensive ISKCON digital library.
Links
Updating Our Facebook Live Video Storage Policy
Kadamba Foundation Website
Media Kadamba Kanana Swami Facebook Page
Gopal Krishna Goswami Official Facebook Page
Bhakti Charu Swami Live Facebook Page
HH Bhakti CHARU Swami Maharaj -in memory Facebook Page
ISKCON Juhu Mumbai Website
Mayapur TV Website
Kadamba Kanana Swami YouTube Channel
Bhakti Charu Swami YouTube Channel
Mayapur TV YouTube Channel
ISKCON News Website
Snapsave Facebook Video Downloader
Fdown.net Facebook Video Downloader
ISKCON GBC List of Initiating Gurus
Gopal Krishna Goswami Website
Bhakti Charu Swami Website
Your servant,
Vasant Pancami Das
Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=115756
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