YouTube opens ‘second chance’ program to creators banned for misinformation
Key Takeaways
- YouTube is launching a pilot program allowing some banned creators to start new channels.
- Eligibility is primarily for those banned under outdated COVID-19 and election integrity policies.
- The decision followed political pressure and communication with congressional figures like Rep. Jim Jordan.
- YouTube cited a desire to enable diverse political debate and acknowledged platform evolution over time.
- Creators banned for copyright infringement or Creator Responsibility policies are ineligible for this program.
YouTube is rolling out a new pilot program that permits some creators, specifically those banned under now-deprecated policies regarding COVID-19 and election misinformation, to establish new channels. This decision comes after the company faced political scrutiny and communicated the plan to Rep. Jim Jordan, whose commission had issued subpoenas. YouTube had previously enforced strict rules, such as removing vaccine misinformation and suspending President Trump after the January 6th insurrection, but has since loosened moderation policies and dropped some COVID restrictions. The company stated its goal is to enable a diversity of perspectives and allow open debate on political ideas on the platform. Eligibility for the pilot will involve careful review of past violations, excluding those banned for copyright or Creator Responsibility issues, and creators must wait one year post-termination to apply.
