YouTube will no longer allow videos about fraud in US elections

AFPYouTube explained the decision in a blog

NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 04:14

YouTube will stop removing videos alleging fraud in the 2020 US presidential election, ending the policy that was instituted in December 2020, two months after the election.

Owner Google has explained the decision in a blog post. “While removing these videos helps counter disinformation, it may also inadvertently limit political expression while barely reducing the risk of violence or other dangers in the real world,” the statement said.

In recent years, the video platform says it has removed tens of thousands of videos that talk about fraud. For example, that material claimed that President Biden had won the election due to software problems or counting errors. The accusations were fueled by Donald Trump, who lost the election but still maintains that the winnings have been taken away from him.

Storming Capitol

Other images that were removed were those of Trump on January 6, 2021, the day of the storming of the Capitol. In it he called on people to leave the building and again referred to fraud. “These were fraudulent elections, but we can’t play into the hands of these people,” Trump said in the video.

Since last March, Trump is also allowed to use his YouTube account, which has more than 2.7 million subscribers.

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