Executive Summary

In the discussion about social media censorship most of the focus is on Facebook, Twitter, and Google . Y ouTube is

almost always

overlooked, which is a serious mistake. Having a YouTube channel is the equivalent of owning a television station, and in some cases the viewership of Y ouTube channels exceeds ca ble news shows and even network broadcasts. YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world, where millions of people seek out independent voices hoping to hear a variety of perspectives on current events and important cultural issues. It’ s not just a website for funny cat videos and pranksters. There are conservative YouTube channels that reach millions of people every day and have a thriving community of active viewers who are highly motived to support President Trump’s agenda. Many people who use YouTube don’t use Facebook or Twitter because they like

watching videos

, not reading tweets or Facebook posts. This report details the increasing censorship, liberal bias, and rigged search results on Y ouTube. Current ly, I am unawa re of

any

instances when President Trump has mentioned the words “YouTube,” “YouTuber,” or Susan Wojcicki (the CEO); and I don’t think he or his administration understands the power and importance YouTube plays in terms of the 2020 campaign and the battle for free speech online. Tweets and Facebook posts usually contain a minimal amount of information, whereas YouTube videos provide lengthy and detailed presentations of topics and often counter the narrative coming from mainstream media by dissecting their own broadcasts and articles to show their flaws, exaggerations, and lies. Whistleblowers who work at YouTube have revealed that the platform has manipulated search results for various topics including abortion, the Federal Reserve, Maxine Waters, and more. YouTube

must

become a larger part of the discussion and the President and his administration need to fully understand what has happened on YouTube since the 2016 election in terms of algorithm and policy changes, and the critical role YouTube and YouTubers play in supporting and defending President Trump.

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