Free speech is one thing. YouTube — well, that’s something else. Maybe you should try Vimeo.

A protest movement is gathering momentum against cannabis censorship imposed by YouTube, the social media site that allows people and groups to upload videos and create their own channels.

In recent weeks, and virtually without notice, YouTube has closed many online cannabis-related video channels, ranging from information and communication news media to important seeds banks and even personal YouTube accounts.

Many of these groups have been hosting YouTube channels for years and have hundreds of uploads with which to contend. Many of them are now being forced to create their own “.tv” websites, eg. marihuanatelevision.tv, or moving their programming over to Vimeo, a smaller but better quality video platform.

You can use this link to send a protest tweet to YouTube. The statement below was released by a group of YouTube participants who have lost access to the website.

COLLECTIVE STATEMENT OF THOSE AFFECTED

The cannabis movement wants to denounce the censorship that the world of marijuana is suffering by the YouTube video platform.

In recent weeks and virtually without notice, YouTube has closed many accounts dedicated to cannabis, ranging from information and communication news media to important seeds banks and even the personal accounts of YouTubers.

Latest round of censorship began in Spain

Information and educational channels such as Marihuana Television, UndergrowTv or Lamarihuana, seeds banks such as Dinafem Seeds, Delicious Seeds or Bhudda Seeds, or grow shop channels such as PevGrow or Growbarato have disappeared.

Cannabis YouTubers like BorisPetis or That Weed Couple have had to protect their accounts by posting their videos privately, after seeing how some of them were deleted and receiving notice of possible closure.

The offensive has not stayed only in Spain. In the Netherlands, the accounts of Dutch Passion and Royal Queen Seeds, in Canada Pot TV, Urban Remo or Lex Lounge (Lex Blazer), and in the United States the channel of the journalist Charlo Greene, Humboldt Seeds Organization, Loaded Up, Vadervision or Grow420guide have been banned, among others.

Infringements on YouTube policies, spam or practices and deceptive content are some of the supposed reasons that YouTube gives for these closures. But none of those affected have received a specific response from the video platform itself about the reason for this indiscriminate censorship, and the only answer to appeals is with automatic replies.

Most channels non-commercial, use age restrictions

Most of these channels were using age restrictions, did not monetize their videos (which is prohibited because of the cannabis content), and they had not breached any of the YouTube community rules: there is no violence, no nudity, no offensive language, no promotion of weapons or drugs. Only information, education and personal experiences about the plant — a medicinal, ancestral plant that still seems taboo to many–are provided.

Videos of cannabis news, cultivation, plants, trips, events, interviews with users, growers and experts … All censored at once. Why? Many of these channels have spent years reporting and educating about the cannabis plant on a platform where freedom of expression was their mission. But it is clear that censorship is still alive and YouTube is part of it.

Protest campaign against YouTube censors

With the closure of these channels, YouTube is depriving the right of millions of people around the world to receive information about cannabis. It is violating fundamental, constitutional and international rights as basic as freedom of expression and information.

But the cannabis community will not allow it. They will not silence us. We will continue to record marijuana plants in all corners of the world and making videos so that people can see it. They can cut our wings, but we will not stop flying !!

Signed By:

1.Marihuana Television

2.Undergrow Tv

3.Lamarihuana

4.Dinafem Seeds

5.Delicious Seeds

6.Buddha Seeds

7.Kannabia Seeds

8.Lamota

9.Pev Grow

10.Grow Barato

11.Boris Petis

12.That Weed Couple

13.Desayunos con Weed

14.Yoidi Ganja Zone

15.Humboldt Seeds Organization

16.Pot Tv

17.Jorge Cervantes

18.UrbanRemo

19.Ismoke

20.Autotarraco

21.Dutch Passion

22.Lex Blazer

23.Uptowngrowlab, Inc.

24.Royal Queen Seeds

25.Sweet Seeds

26.LiliCannSeeds

27.Alchimia Growshop

28.Cannabis News Network

29.Fadah Mike

30.The Herb Advisor

31.Philosopher Seeds

To join this list: marihuanatelevision@marihuanatelevision.tv

Our Supporters:

1.Mujeres Cannábicas y Red Estatal Mujeres Antiprohibicionistas REMA (Spain)

2.Revista CÁÑAMO España (Spain)

3.Revista CÁÑAMO México (México)

4.Revista CÁÑAMO Chile (Chile)

5.Soft Secrets (Spain)

… and 50 more aupporters…

To join this list: censuracannabis@gmail.com