YouTube videos about bypassing Windows 11 hardware restrictions are now "illegal"

[Alfonso Maruccia]

WTF?! YouTube has repeatedly faced accusations of censoring videos for reasons that often have little to do with illegal activity. The company routinely argues that certain clips could cause harm, even when the logic behind those claims is questionable or seems disconnected from the actual content.

YouTube censorship has become so widespread that it now has its own Wikipedia page. Yet the recent removal of a few tech-focused videos may be the most unusual cases to date. When asked for clarification, YouTube offered a confusing explanation that shed little light on the situation.

Rich, the host of the CyberCPU Tech channel, highlighted the new censorship case. He launched his channel on a whim after years of working as a computer technician. He features videos that explain common computer problems, along with gaming and retro-gaming content.

He recently uploaded a video showing how to install and use Windows 11 with a local account, a practice Microsoft now strongly discourages. YouTube removed the video shortly thereafter. Rich speculated that the takedown was a false positive caused by the platform's reliance on error-prone AI tools.

When YouTube removed a second video showing how to bypass hardware restrictions to install Windows 11, Rich grew concerned about censorship and the future of his channel. He has since posted another "reaction" video, sharing his perspective on what might be happening behind the company's closed doors.

The YouTuber now suspects Microsoft may be behind this unusual censorship incident. He appealed YouTube's decision, and the platform responded that the video received a warning strike for depicting "harmful or dangerous content." YouTube suggested that explaining how to install Windows 11 on unsupported systems could encourage dangerous or illegal activities that might cause harm or death.

He has received no clear explanation on how his video was causing "harm," leaving him to blame Microsoft and its software policies. However, Microsoft's involvement seems highly unlikely, as the company has deprioritized its Windows division. Redmond no longer pays attention to the widespread use of activation tools for pirated copies of the OS.

In any case, Rich now believes that this type of "illegal" how-to content is no longer welcome on YouTube. He has decided to comply with the trend, while lamenting that he may soon have no "controversial" computer-related topics left to share with his subscribers.

Permalink to story:

YouTube videos about bypassing Windows 11 hardware restrictions are now "illegal"

 

[m4a4]

I mean, there are many other places to find a bypass on the internet. It doesn't do anything but annoy people.

...It's just a level of stup!dity that almost sounds like another instance of someone filing false copyright claims just to cause chaos....

 

[Megalomaniac]

The word is "technofascism"

 

[seeprime]

I watched both videos before they caused death. YouTube AI is dumber than I ever imagined. Rich spent hours in circular discussion with reps that he's convinced are AI that can't be reasoned with.

It's nuts in this future.

 

[daffy duck]

Google's and M$'s actions are the only things here that should be illegal.

 

[toooooot]

As someone who installed it on unsupported laptop I approve this warning.
A mid tier laptop should not work like the lowest of the lowest on win 11 when it ran just fine on win 10.
Win 11 made my Lenovo yoga almost worthless. I am not even blaming Windows 11 as I blame myself for curiosity. I remember how smooth the transfer from windows 7 to 10 was. Yes, I thought the same would happen when I upgrade to 11.
It did not.
Do not upgrade your old hardware to 11 unless you absolutely have to, was my lesson.

 

[scoffer]

Dear Microsoft/Google/Youtube,
Thank you so much for caring about us. However, sadly, I have to report that your 'parental' care (how dare they call it censorship!) came too late. I and my wife watched the aforementioned CyberCPU Youtube video just over a week ago. My wife has since died in great pain -along with our cat/dog/budgie/yoga teacher/next-door neighbour/local butcher and village priest. I myself am also feeling a bit "off". Oh how I wish that we had listened to you more closely, instead of all these Youtube villians. Such evil!!!

By the way, I've just collected $9,000,000 from my wife's life insurance policy - so there is SOME silver lining I suppose.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

As someone who installed it on unsupported laptop I approve this warning.
A mid tier laptop should not work like the lowest of the lowest on win 11 when it ran just fine on win 10.
Win 11 made my Lenovo yoga almost worthless. I am not even blaming Windows 11 as I blame myself for curiosity. I remember how smooth the transfer from windows 7 to 10 was. Yes, I thought the same would happen when I upgrade to 11.
It did not.
Do not upgrade your old hardware to 11 unless you absolutely have to, was my lesson.

>lenovo yoga

Well there's your first issue. Second issue, dont do upgrades, you should be doing a clean wipe.

Also, while it is unfortunate your experience was poor it does not justify the use of these warnings in this manner.

 

[GTvon]

As someone who installed it on unsupported laptop I approve this warning.
A mid tier laptop should not work like the lowest of the lowest on win 11 when it ran just fine on win 10.
Win 11 made my Lenovo yoga almost worthless. I am not even blaming Windows 11 as I blame myself for curiosity. I remember how smooth the transfer from windows 7 to 10 was. Yes, I thought the same would happen when I upgrade to 11.
It did not.
Do not upgrade your old hardware to 11 unless you absolutely have to, was my lesson.

It did for me.

 

[disinfect8280]

When are people going to grow a pair and leave YouTube for Odysee or something like that? This is why I do not feel bad about using Brave, ad blocking DNS, ad-blocking VPN, Grayjay, etc. I haven't seen a Google ad in over 7yrs. I will not contribute to their financial gain.

 

[user556]

The problem is lack of regulations. The corporates aren't compelled to lift a finger, so they don't. Pure and simple.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

When are people going to grow a pair and leave YouTube for Odysee or something like that? This is why I do not feel bad about using Brave, ad blocking DNS, ad-blocking VPN, Grayjay, etc. I haven't seen a Google ad in over 7yrs. I will not contribute to their financial gain.

Odysee sucks.

 

[Phylop]

Give me liberty or give me death. This is some of the most unconstitutional horse **** I have ever heard.

 

[DrSuess]

Yes, they can cause harm and death to Microsoft's and PC makers bottom lines.

 

[seeprime]

As someone who installed it on unsupported laptop I approve this warning.
A mid tier laptop should not work like the lowest of the lowest on win 11 when it ran just fine on win 10.
Win 11 made my Lenovo yoga almost worthless. I am not even blaming Windows 11 as I blame myself for curiosity. I remember how smooth the transfer from windows 7 to 10 was. Yes, I thought the same would happen when I upgrade to 11.
It did not.
Do not upgrade your old hardware to 11 unless you absolutely have to, was my lesson.

Windows 11 is a POS on older CPUs. Your experience is common. My unsupported CPU was a 7th gen Core i5, which runs it ok, not great. Linux Mint, when booted on the same machine, is much snappier.

 

[JMGuy]

Give me liberty or give me death. This is some of the most unconstitutional horse **** I have ever heard.

Unconstitutional?

Inigo Montoya, “I don’t think that word means what you think it means.”

/s

 

[MakeMSGreatAgain]

I mean... whenever I use Windows 11 I too want to harm myself.

 

[human7]

I just love when companies try to bury a topic and they inadvertently bring it to the forefront with much fanfare and publicity.

 

[Todd Sauve]

As someone who installed it on unsupported laptop I approve this warning.
A mid tier laptop should not work like the lowest of the lowest on win 11 when it ran just fine on win 10.
Win 11 made my Lenovo yoga almost worthless. I am not even blaming Windows 11 as I blame myself for curiosity. I remember how smooth the transfer from windows 7 to 10 was. Yes, I thought the same would happen when I upgrade to 11.
It did not.
Do not upgrade your old hardware to 11 unless you absolutely have to, was my lesson.

Then use Linux if you can. I recommend Mint but Debian with KDE is also very good because it is stable, and you are very unlikely to find any show stopping bugs in it. Ubuntu is also based on Debian, as is Mint, but Ubuntu has had bugs show up in their distros lately so stick to Mint or Debian KDE.

 

[illrigger]

"Redmond no longer pays attention to the widespread use of activation tools for pirated copies of the OS."

I don't know where you are getting that info from. They are still coding in new patches to remove bypass methods with every new release. If they didn't care, they wouldn't be doing that.

 

[kh9750]

The question is
how much did microsoft paid to youtube to implement such rule !!??

 

[axiomatic13]

I still know how to load Win11 on anything, and I will continue to share that information for whomever asks, YouTube be dammed.

 

[Trillionsin]

Maybe a larger problem is corporations abusing the reporting systems.

That's okay, Google and Microsoft... Just push people to use other resources... we'll be good. We will figure out how to do the things we want with our devices one way or another.

 

[Puiu]

When are people going to grow a pair and leave YouTube for Odysee or something like that? This is why I do not feel bad about using Brave, ad blocking DNS, ad-blocking VPN, Grayjay, etc. I haven't seen a Google ad in over 7yrs. I will not contribute to their financial gain.

And do what? watch 0.001% of the content youtube has or for creators make 0.0001% of the money? And most sponsorships come with channel "views" as one of the main criteria.

 

[Phylop]

Unconstitutional?

Inigo Montoya, “I don’t think that word means what you think it means.”

/s

I understand what it means. I recognize that corporations, as legal entities, have many of the same rights as individuals and are therefore allowed, within certain limits, to decide what content appears on their platforms. However, the way these corporations exercise that power runs contrary to the spirit of our Constitution. As they gain more influence over our daily lives, they effectively function as miniature governments, deciding what we can say, do, or even think within their digital domains. And with the way these corporations lobby our government, we effectively come under their rule rather than that of the government that is supposed to protect us.