YouTube has placed sweeping new restrictions on far-right activist Tommy Robinson’s channel, removing his videos from search results and prohibiting him from livestreaming to the platform, BuzzFeed News can reveal.

The clampdown follows demands from senior MPs from both Britain’s main political parties for Google, YouTube’s parent company, to follow Facebook and Twitter’s example in restricting the reach and impact of the anti-Muslim campaigner by banning him from their platforms.

While YouTube is stopping short of an outright ban, the restrictions will mean Robinson’s new videos won’t have view counts, suggested videos, likes, or comments. There’ll be an “interstitial,” or black slate, that appears before each video warning people that it might not be appropriate for all audiences.



Robinson will also be prevented from livestreaming to his channel. Until now, he would do this regularly to reach his nearly 390,000 YouTube subscribers.



YouTube users will be able to access Robinson’s material only by clicking directly on a link for each video. The effect of the changes will be to make his videos undiscoverable.

A YouTube spokesperson said the restrictions came after the company consulted with outside experts and academics about the type of videos appearing on his channel.

“After consulting with third-party experts, we are applying a tougher treatment to Tommy Robinson’s channel in keeping with our policies on borderline content,” a YouTube spokesperson said.

“The content will be placed behind an interstitial, removed from recommendations, and stripped of key features including livestreaming, comments, suggested videos, and likes.”