Google-owned YouTube is planning to purge “thousands of videos and channels” which advocate “bigoted ideologies” or “claim Jews secretly control the world,” deny “that well-documented violent events, like the Holocaust” took place, “say women are intellectually inferior to men and therefore should be denied certain rights,” or “suggest that the white race is superior to another race.”

Multiple channels were banned in the immediate aftermath of the announcement.

From New York Times, “YouTube to Remove Thousands of Videos Pushing Extreme Views”:

YouTube announced plans on Wednesday to remove thousands of videos and channels that advocate for neo-Nazism, white supremacy and other bigoted ideologies in an attempt to clean up extremism and hate speech on its popular service. The new policy will ban “videos alleging that a group is superior in order to justify discrimination, segregation or exclusion,” the company said in a blog post. The prohibition will also cover videos denying that violent incidents, like the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, took place. YouTube did not name any specific channels or videos that would be banned. “It’s our responsibility to protect that, and prevent our platform from being used to incite hatred, harassment, discrimination and violence,” the company said in the blog post. […] The kind of content that will be prohibited under YouTube’s new hate speech policies includes videos that claim Jews secretly control the world, those that say women are intellectually inferior to men and therefore should be denied certain rights, or that suggest that the white race is superior to another race, a YouTube spokesman said. Channels that post some hateful content, but that do not violate YouTube’s rules with the majority of their videos, may receive strikes under YouTube’s three-strike enforcement system, but would not be immediately banned.

In 2014, Nicole Mullen wrote an article called “Can We Stop Pretending Like Abortions Don’t Feel Good?” in which she explains that she gets sexual pleasure from committing abortions on her unborn babies. Alex discusses how this attitude is actually very common on the left. The company also said that channels that “repeatedly brush up against our hate speech policies,” but don’t violate them outright, would be removed from YouTube’s advertising program, which allows channel owners to share in the advertising revenue their videos generate. In addition to tightening its hate speech rules, YouTube announced it would also tweak its recommendation algorithm, the automated software that shows users videos based on their interests and past viewing habits. This algorithm is responsible for more than 70 percent of overall time spent on YouTube, and has been a major engine for the platform’s growth.

Here’s how YouTube put it on their own blog:

Today, we’re taking another step in our hate speech policy by specifically prohibiting videos alleging that a group is superior in order to justify discrimination, segregation or exclusion based on qualities like age, gender, race, caste, religion, sexual orientation or veteran status. This would include, for example, videos that promote or glorify Nazi ideology, which is inherently discriminatory. Finally, we will remove content denying that well-documented violent events, like the Holocaust or the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, took place. We recognize some of this content has value to researchers and NGOs looking to understand hate in order to combat it, and we are exploring options to make it available to them in the future. And as always, context matters, so some videos could remain up because they discuss topics like pending legislation, aim to condemn or expose hate, or provide analysis of current events. We will begin enforcing this updated policy today; however, it will take time for our systems to fully ramp up and we’ll be gradually expanding coverage over the next several months.

The Anti-Defamation League praised YouTube’s censorship purge, said they’re working together with Google-owned YouTube and other tech companies “to aggressively counter hate on their platforms” and said this “important step forward … must be followed by many more.”

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom to slander. Freedom of expression does not mean freedom to incite violence against Jews or other minorities. More needs to be done to keep #hate off their platform, but this a step in the right direction for @YouTube. https://t.co/hi000cHDHw — Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) June 5, 2019

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently unveiled similar censorship rules banning all “praise, support and representation of white nationalism and separatism,” though his company said they would still allow other race-based nationalist and separatist movements on their platform.

Facebook had said previously they were against banning white nationalism and white separatism because they felt that under the same rules they’d also have to ban Zionism and black separatism.

Reports are already pouring in of channels being banned.

YouTube has banned black metal musician Varg Vikernes' channel. For those who don't know who Varg is, read the whole thing https://t.co/rQSVfzg6Ta — Scott Greer (@ScottMGreer) June 5, 2019

Azov Battalion Media banned from Youtube RIP pic.twitter.com/YDtOeVOe9o — Ｒｅｇｕｌｕｓ をゝす (@RegulusAnon) June 5, 2019

Looks like my YouTube channel was nuked without warning or prior strikes “Hate speech” Guess it was imagined, as I never said anything against other groups, just positive things about my heritage No worries, vids are all saved and I’ll pop back up 😎

I know this is a marathon — The Great Order (@TheGreatOrderIs) June 5, 2019

YouTube appears to be deleting videos at random based on title only. This was a discussion about the future of a political movement and contained no content that violated YouTube policies. pic.twitter.com/E7SfZepaBA — J.-François Gariépy ☣️ (@JFGariepy) June 5, 2019

Massive channels like Stephen Crowder’s have been demonetized:

Steven Crowder has been Stripped of Monetization. But so have other unrelated Journalists. Carlos Maza and Vox have just gone Scorched earth on ALL Youtubers and Independent Journalists.https://t.co/6cJeNqYKdG — Tim Pool (@Timcast) June 5, 2019

Send a special thank you to Vox and Carlos Maza. The purge has just begun and legit journalists are getting stripped https://t.co/tQSRNr9Rbl — Tim Pool (@Timcast) June 5, 2019

New Blog Post! – BREAKING: They Just Shut Me Down – I NEED Your Help Now More Than Ever! : https://t.co/LI9vv8cTFE @dandickspft — Press For Truth (@PressForTruth) June 5, 2019

These monsters are truly merciless.

YouTube shuts of my ability to make ad revenue on my videos. Not the best timing considering the family situation, but I never expected them to be reasonable. In case you want to support the channel: https://t.co/SBmIONqJzm pic.twitter.com/9bWk6lpjJP — The Golden One (@TheGloriousLion) June 5, 2019

Looks like new YouTube rules have kicked off a new crackdown that goes beyond Steven Crowder. White nationalists James Allsup and "The Golden One" say they've also been demonetized, while Gavin McInnes says he's had a video deleted. pic.twitter.com/awbR3EF9M7 — Will Sommer (@willsommer) June 5, 2019



https://twitter.com/JackGreenYT/status/1136349762993549312

A history teacher from the British School of Bucharest was also banned just for having historical videos of Nazi speeches on his channel:

YouTube have banned me for 'hate speech', I think due to clips on Nazi policy featuring propaganda speeches by Nazi leaders. I'm devastated to have this claim levelled against me, and frustrated 15yrs of materials for #HistoryTeacher community have ended so abruptly.@TeamYouTube — Mr Allsop History (@MrAllsopHistory) June 5, 2019

Make no mistake, leftists will be allowed to spew virulent hate without any interruption:

Dear @TeamYouTube will @colbertlateshow be demonetized on YouTube now for saying mean things about fellow YouTuber @realDonaldTrump ?????? https://t.co/JDTg0QCmeD — KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) June 5, 2019

UPDATE: Holy f**king s**t:

Bahahaha what?!? You mean to tell me Carlos went scorched earth on ALL of Youtube getting legit journalists and creators stripped and all Crowder has to do is remove the one t shirt??? Pure insanity…. https://t.co/AOKKheIQmG — Tim Pool (@Timcast) June 5, 2019

I assure you, this was planned long before Maza’s little spat, but that idea is just hilarious.

UPDATE II:

Sorry for the confusion, we were responding to your tweets about the T-shirts. Again, this channel is demonetized due to continued egregious actions that have harmed the broader community. To be reinstated, he will need to address all of the issues with his channel. — TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) June 5, 2019

UPDATE III: The purge keeps expanding:

My tiny youtube channel, that may have had 2k views total, to the extent these things are accurately reported, only had poems. No racial epithets appeared in the poems. In fact, race itself was never mentioned. A reader of Kipling's Stranger was probably the edgiest. pic.twitter.com/Fllkrp2PdX — MarkBrahmin (@MarkBrahmin) June 5, 2019

https://twitter.com/Know_More_News/status/1136378479614676992

THIS SITUATION IS INTOLERABLE! The Pharisees, from amongst the multitude, said to him: "Master, rebuke thy disciples".

To whom he said: "I say to you, that if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out."

Luke 19:40 Logos will Rise, like it or not. #VoxAdpocalypse pic.twitter.com/M274VIC5D7 — E. Michael Jones ❌ (@EMichaelJones1) June 5, 2019

https://twitter.com/PatrickCaseyUSA/status/1136385532617994242

Hey @YouTube Tell me how I violated your rules by simply discussing the ACTUAL LAWS that exist in Europe, and how I find them to be a human's right violation? Now you can't even TALK about the laws that deny people their right to believe or disbelieve something lol. pic.twitter.com/rXcPnHqian — Angelo John Gage (@AngeloJohnGage) June 5, 2019

A video I did on the dangers of pornography was banned from YouTube. It was already in limited state for over six months. The state wants young men addicted to porn and not having families. — Bre Faucheux (@Bre_Faucheux) June 5, 2019

Our channel has been deemed as "hateful content" from @TeamYouTube. pic.twitter.com/JvxAH4e37L — Deep Fat Fried (@Deepfatfriedpod) June 5, 2019

This is only a one way street.

Hey @YouTube , does Colbert’s video skit of me getting shot violate your standards also or are you only specifically demonetizing conservatives? https://t.co/Kq1J7QybKC https://t.co/WjxyX8PPhB — Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) June 5, 2019

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