YouTube to bring back creators banned over Covid-19 and election claims, blames Biden administration for crackdown

[midian182]

A hot potato: YouTube is rolling back a policy that had permanently banned creators who were removed for spreading misinformation about Covid-19 and the election. Parent company Alphabet said there will be "an opportunity" for these users to rejoin the platform. It also blamed the Biden administration for pressuring the company to censor certain content.

According to a letter from Alphabet lawyer Daniel Donovan to House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, "YouTube values conservative voices on its platform," and recognizes the extensive reach these creators have and the role they play in civic discourse.

"The Company recognizes these creators are among those shaping today's online consumption, landing 'must-watch' interviews, giving viewers the chance to hear directly from politicians, celebrities, business leaders, and more," Donovan adds.

The House Judiciary Committee published the letter following its lengthy investigation into whether Biden White House officials forced tech companies such as YouTube to censor certain content on their platforms. Alphabet placed the blame for its bans squarely on the shoulders of the previous administration.

"Senior Biden Administration officials, including White House officials, conducted repeated and sustained outreach to Alphabet and pressed the Company regarding certain user-generated content related to the Covid-19 pandemic that did not violate its policies," the letter read.

"While the Company continued to develop and enforce its policies independently, Biden Administration officials continued to press the Company to remove non-violative user-generated content."

Channels belonging to Steve Bannon, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, and White House counterterrorism chief Sebastian Gorka are some of those previously banned from YouTube over the content they posted.

Jordan hailed YouTube's changes as a "massive win" for the American people and a victory in the fight against censorship.

This is another victory in the fight against censorship.

In Aug 2024, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote the Committee a letter admitting:

1. Biden Admin "pressured" Facebook to censor Americans.
2. Facebook censored Americans.
3. Facebook throttled the Hunter Biden laptop story.…

– Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) September 23, 2025

YouTube said in 2021 that it would remove any content that spread misinformation about approved vaccines. Donovan's letter notes that it ended its remaining Covid-19-related policies in December 2024, while a policy regarding election integrity was retired in 2023 to allow for discussion of possible widespread fraud, errors, or glitches, occurring in 2020 and other past Presidential elections.

YouTube also wrote an X post about the change. It said that the company has received a lot of questions from terminated creators about a way to return to YouTube with a new channel.

We've had a lot of questions about a pathway back to YouTube for some terminated creators to set up a new channel. This will be a limited pilot project that will be available to a subset of creators in addition to those channels terminated for policies that have been deprecated.…

– Updates From YouTube (@UpdatesFromYT) September 23, 2025

Mirroring other Big Tech firms this year, Donovan said in the letter that YouTube will not "empower" third-party fact checkers to moderate content, and it will continue to allow "free expression" on the platform.

In June, YouTube said it was relaxing its content moderation policies, allowing content that violates the usual rules if it is deemed to be in the "public interest."

By Monday afternoon, our fact-checking program in the US will be officially over. That means no new fact checks and no fact checkers. We announced in January we'd be winding down the program & removing penalties. In place of fact checks, the first Community Notes will start…

– Joel Kaplan (@joel_kaplan) April 4, 2025

Tech companies have rushed to end policies that could be construed as anti-free-speech or pro-DEI this year. On the eve of Donald Trump's inauguration in January, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company's third-party fact checkers had become too politically biased and destroyed more trust than they created. As such, they were being replaced by Community Notes. Meta has also removed restrictions on topics such as immigration and gender and ended its DEI programs.

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YouTube to bring back creators banned over Covid-19 and election claims, blames Biden administration for crackdown

 

[dualkelly]

I would like to see proof of this were not many of those people banned when trump was in office. Trump owns most of the response to Covid not Biden even though Biden seems to get all of the blame.

 

[obsidian76]

With all the far right rubbish YT kept suggesting despite repeatedly telling it I wasnt interested on those videos, I've unsubscribed from Premium. Turns out YT on android app is pretty unusable without premium because of the ads, so another platform abandoned. Looks like just in time. If all the US based platforms are going to mimick the cess pit that is X, time to look elsewhere for all of us who dont want disinformation and bigotry shoveled down our grids.

 

[Homerlovesbeer]

I would like to see proof of this were not many of those people banned when trump was in office. Trump owns most of the response to Covid not Biden even though Biden seems to get all of the blame.

Omg here we go again with the anti Trump narrative.
No, Trump didn't pressure media companies to suppress Covid discussions. The X files shows very very clearly it was the Biden administration.
Congratulations on YouTube FINALLY allowing people to discuss the bizzare Covid situation and explore what happened.

 

[opckieran]

I would like to see proof of this were not many of those people banned when trump was in office. Trump owns most of the response to Covid not Biden even though Biden seems to get all of the blame.

The idea that Trump pressured YouTube, Facebook, and other social media platforms to monitor, demonetize, ban, or otherwise suppress *his own allies* is some insane mental gymnastics.

Plus, Google and Meta have literally come out and said the Biden admin put pressure on them to do this. I don’t know how much more evidence one needs.

 

[GeoffreyA]

The bottom line is, these are chameleons who'll change their tune to curry favour with whoever is in power.

 

[Megalomaniac]

I've been a Youtubber for over 10 years. I have over 3000 videos.

Youtube's advertiser-friendly stance was always their way to keep content creators in line. Simply by claiming that the content wasn't friendly to advertisers they could demonetize and limit us.

I've made gun videos. How is it that a video showing the gun operation isn't friendly to gun manufacturers???

They've been throttling subscribers, views and our revenue sharing. I haven't complained - I just went along with it and kept doing my thing. I file 1099 as a journalist and get business tax deductions. I've rolled the Youtube money into Dividend stock portfolios and Bitcoin in order to maximize the money.

All the while, I've been absolutely disgusted by Youtube and praying for the day when some class action lawsuit breaks their control and their unfair practices.

Biden isn't to blame. Trump isn't to blame. They were doing this prior to 2010. I remember when Youtubbers kept claiming "youtube was dying" and were getting demonetization letters. I started learning what they meant later on. At one point I was making over $3000 a month. When my numbers started dipping, I started doing lives and getting cashapps and superchats to make up the difference. Youtube can screw with your subscribers, views and revenue but they can't hurt your cashapps or 3rd party payments.

It's really disgusting. Fortunately, I've built a huge retirement portfolio using them.

 

[cfenton]

So conservative voices are COVID disinformation and conspiracy theories about the 2020 election? Good to know.

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

Separately, I found a little nugget which completely tracks with this news. I wouldn’t be surprised if the FCC did indeed put pressure on some television broadcasters to enforce a Covid misinformation policy: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/...ing-consumers-cable-news-the-public-interest/

The FCC has the authority and tools to combat this problem in broadcast and cable news. The FCC has chosen not to enforce its rules, while certain “news” programs increasingly obscure facts, or worse. As the nation gradually recovers from the ravages of the pandemic, this is an apt moment to reaffirm the FCC’s obligation to serve the public interest. The FCC should engage in a renewed effort to combat false statements of facts, cloaked as opinions or other nonregulated speech, across broadcast and cable television news media.

 

[bviktor]

Misinformation = conservative voice, got it.

 

[Inthenstus]

A little late Google

 

[donnieD]

With all the far right rubbish YT kept suggesting despite repeatedly telling it I wasnt interested on those videos, I've unsubscribed from Premium. Turns out YT on android app is pretty unusable without premium because of the ads, so another platform abandoned. Looks like just in time. If all the US based platforms are going to mimick the cess pit that is X, time to look elsewhere for all of us who dont want disinformation and bigotry shoveled down our grids.

You need to get a little help form our friend on Github called Revanced Manager for Android unless you have an iPhone, then try Brave Browser, at least works on my iPad.

 

[donnieD]

A little late Google

Actually, what we really need are Nuremberg trials v2.0 for crimes against humanity and get all those responsible during lockdowns on a long stretch....

 

[dualkelly]

The idea that Trump pressured YouTube, Facebook, and other social media platforms to monitor, demonetize, ban, or otherwise suppress *his own allies* is some insane mental gymnastics.

Plus, Google and Meta have literally come out and said the Biden admin put pressure on them to do this. I don’t know how much more evidence one needs.

LOL I never said trump did any of that and wait so Biden was a sleepy dementia ridden mastermind can you all make up your minds? YouTube banned most of these streamers during the trump term not during the Biden's term and they were being banned for misinformation and YouTube own terms of services as well as advisers who didn't want to advertise on them. This alone had nothing to do with Trump or Biden.. I am merely point out the fact that it happened during Trump's term not Biden's.

 

[Beerfloat]

Actually, what we really need are Nuremberg trials v2.0 for crimes against humanity and get all those responsible during lockdowns on a long stretch....

That would include the crazies pushing ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, right? Because those were very much part of these 'conservative' voices.

 

[dualkelly]

That would include the crazies pushing ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, right? Because those were very much part of these 'conservative' voices.

Lets start with chief orange misinformation himself calling for the injection of bleach.

 

[axiomatic13]

LOL., listen to the anti-science crowd whine.

 

[Rumiku]

Lets start with chief orange misinformation himself calling for the injection of bleach.

I would hope this comment is a low-key sarcasm. Even far-left website, Snopes, must admit that quote never occurred. Trump never said to inject bleach (or alcohol). He clearly stated in the clip about "disinfectant" can "knock it out" or kill the infection in a minute and then said "...and is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or cleaning..."; clearly asking about advanced therapies in which there could be a biocompatible "cleaning" agent.

This was hopeful speech. It wasn't until a reporter followed up about "bleach or alcohol" did the Left-Leaning media literally lie about what he said. It's disgraceful and far from the only time MSM lied about what Trump has said, both first and still now, into his second term.

But...I really do assume you meant that as a jest. Yes?

 

[Rumiku]

LOL I never said trump did any of that and wait so Biden was a sleepy dementia ridden mastermind can you all make up your minds? YouTube banned most of these streamers during the trump term not during the Biden's term and they were being banned for misinformation and YouTube own terms of services as well as advisers who didn't want to advertise on them. This alone had nothing to do with Trump or Biden.. I am merely point out the fact that it happened during Trump's term not Biden's.

Mmm...I would like to read anywhere that a Conservative referred to Joe Biden as a mastermind with serious intent. We knew he had handlers. Before he was even elected, Conservatives (perhaps not all) were very keen on the tell's of Biden's mental faculties being less than impressive. All one had to do is watch 5 minutes or less of any interview he did to know something wasn't right. "Lying dog-face Pony Soldier", anyone? Or the, very creepy 'kids rubbing his leg hair' quote, just to name a few. There is, clearly, hours of video showing he was, in fact a "sleepy dementia ridden" person. Mastermind? No. That was however his handler(s) was/were.

 

[dualkelly]

I would hope this comment is a low-key sarcasm. Even far-left website, Snopes, must admit that quote never occurred. Trump never said to inject bleach (or alcohol). He clearly stated in the clip about "disinfectant" can "knock it out" or kill the infection in a minute and then said "...and is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or cleaning..."; clearly asking about advanced therapies in which there could be a biocompatible "cleaning" agent.

This was hopeful speech. It wasn't until a reporter followed up about "bleach or alcohol" did the Left-Leaning media literally lie about what he said. It's disgraceful and far from the only time MSM lied about what Trump has said, both first and still now, into his second term.

But...I really do assume you meant that as a jest. Yes?

The direct quote is "Right. And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that. So, that, you’re going to have to use medical doctors with. But it sounds — it sounds interesting to me."
He also suggested windmills cause cancer again direct qoute:
Former President Donald Trump said, "They say the noise causes cancer," during a Republican fundraising dinner in Washington on April 2, 2019. He made the unproven claim while criticizing wind turbines, which he referred to as "windmills"
And last night he basically said Tylenol causes autism while hawking his supposed treatment for autism.
So I don't know seems pretty straightforward to me.

 

[Rumiku]

The direct quote is "Right. And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that. So, that, you’re going to have to use medical doctors with. But it sounds — it sounds interesting to me."
He also suggested windmills cause cancer again direct qoute:
Former President Donald Trump said, "They say the noise causes cancer," during a Republican fundraising dinner in Washington on April 2, 2019. He made the unproven claim while criticizing wind turbines, which he referred to as "windmills"
And last night he basically said Tylenol causes autism while hawking his supposed treatment for autism.
So I don't know seems pretty straightforward to me.

That wasn't really a response; no offense. You stated directly "Lets start with chief orange misinformation himself calling for the injection of bleach." However, even your own follow up shows this to be untrue.

Next we have his Windmill quote, which is really a red herring as this was originally about stating Trump claimed to inject Bleach, though I'm happy to indulge:
.
"They say the noise causes cancer". That's not entirely the full quote. He said "...they say the noise causes cancer; you tell me that one, okay?" Trump is anti-wind turbines, that is a given. In between a few actual statements, this one is less clear if tongue-in-cheek, or referring to the weak evidence that, because Wind-Turbine's generate noise, those living near them may not sleep well and that sleep disturbance could lead to cancer. He did not clarify. So if we take Trump, who enjoys using livid speech, I wouldn't put much into it. At best, it was to keep the crowd laughing. At worst, attempting to cite very low-brow science in to a longer speech against turbines. Neither are a lie directly and most would just laugh at it and move on. There are many things Biden, Jill, Hunter, Psaki et all have said that I've rolled my eyes at. Far more things to center on than this weak argument.

As far as Tylenol; guess what: We agree. This one was weak "and" put forth as a serious statement. It's not entirely anti-science, but it is far from a forgone conclusion. For example, if Tylenol is the causative agent, then we would expect to see Autism be 10x or more prevalent. So it isn't "just" Tylenol, if at all. There is a very weak correlation that has to have supporting vectors to even approach relevancy as on its own, the self-evident science would suggest otherwise.

I support Trump. But not everything he says and does. That would be foolish and blind partisan. But in comparison to the former regime, he is leaps and bounds better, objectively, factually, statistically, etc. But I'll call a spade a spade with any politician. It's just...the left has been really, really bad in the last decade. It's made even "Left" of Center Democrats like Bill Maher take what is considered "right leaning" stances. It wasn't that long ago when Democrat Presidents proudly stated those same stances like secure borders, legal and not illegal immigration, deporting of illegal nationals, Boys cannot compete in Girls sports, etc.

Perhaps not as straight forward.

 

[toooooot]

I would like to see proof of this were not many of those people banned when trump was in office. Trump owns most of the response to Covid not Biden even though Biden seems to get all of the blame.

It is quite sad that people can seriously blame either of these men when a regime that allowed it went unpunished till it can release even a deadlier virus.
China sucks on so many levels. That cheap labor, oh it was not cheap.
Every time humanity wanted cheap human labor, they paid much more than they wanted. USA alone knows a thing or two about the same subject.
Chinese lab did it. No changes occurred when they should have.
We are just rolling a dice till we get something even worse.

 

[p51d007]

You need to get a little help form our friend on Github called Revanced Manager for Android unless you have an iPhone, then try Brave Browser, at least works on my iPad.

I revanced the youtube app, I'm on the latest google QPR beta, and the lockdown has started. It would not let me install it saying "it isn't compatible with your phone".

 

[yannus]

Omg here we go again with the anti Trump narrative.
No, Trump didn't pressure media companies to suppress Covid discussions. The X files shows very very clearly it was the Biden administration.
Congratulations on YouTube FINALLY allowing people to discuss the bizzare Covid situation and explore what happened.

Congratulations no, shame on yt for having censored everything and so much more than just covid.

 

[mikus]

When google removed the "don't be evil" from their charter, you mostly knew what was next.