Ugh Credit: YouTube

YouTube faced controversy this year after brands found their adverts running alongside extremist content promoting terrorism, conspiracy theories and even paedophilia.

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But the social site appears not to have learned its lesson – after users have reported seeing targeted adverts from U.S. anti-gay groups popping up next to LGBT content.

The adverts came from the group Alliance Defending Freedom, which supposedly ‘protects the rights’ of Christians (to refuse to deal with gay people)..

The group has been designated a ‘hate group’ by America’s Southern Poverty Law Centre, according to Forbes.


The videos dwell on problems faced by Christians who are ‘forced’ to provide flowers and cakes for gay weddings.



One YouTuber claims that the videos appear to be showing up next to LGBT content on the site.

.@FullFrontalSamB so I went to watch the latest ep on YouTube and the ad that played before it was a 4 minute pity party for the lady who wouldn’t do gay wedding flower, by the anti-gay hate group “Alliance Defending Freedom”! Just thought you’d want to know, if you can opt out. pic.twitter.com/jOg4z7PsFI — The Lark's Purr (@thelarkspurr) May 31, 2018

Hi @YouTube . Can I ask why you are showing me, a gay man, an ad for an anti-LGBT group? When I hit the why button it said it is because of the time of day and the video I’m watching. That also doesn’t make sense because @pewdiepie isn’t anti-gay…. pic.twitter.com/JmvvhrD9QZ — Nick Orbe (@nick_orbe) May 30, 2018

Chase Ross, behind the channel uppercaseCHASE1 told Forbes, ‘Yesterday a bunch of people tweeted me more screenshots and videos of anti-LGBT ads (specifically from Alliance Defending Freedom).

‘This started up the conversation with other LGBT+ YouTubers and we all realized our videos had anti-LGBT ads placed on them.’

A YouTube spokesperson said, ‘We have policies against ads on YouTube that incite hatred or promote discrimination, and all ads that run on the platform have to comply with these policies. Even when an ad does not violate our policies, we understand that creators may not want ads from certain advertisers appearing on their videos.

‘That’s why we give creators the ability to block ads from an advertiser in their AdSense account. We also give creators the option to block certain categories of ads if they choose. In the meantime, we are looking at ways to improve our policies going forward.’