Analysis
This week, YouTube issued a permanent suspension to this contributing Daily Dot reporter’s channel over documenting and posting video from insurrectionists and white nationalists who took part in the Capitol riot.
This ban from YouTube is one administered in bad faith and without regard for our ability to cover the news. Over the past few weeks, we have been posting about the words and deeds of insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol and continue to stoke fury in its aftermath. Our job is to document actions taken by individuals, the history of which YouTube is erasing with a ban.
Only one strike was doled out to this reporter before the ban. We believe the account was suspended for posting the content that encouraged violence pushed by the individuals we cover.
“We have reviewed your content and found severe or repeated violations of our Community Guidelines. Because of this, we have removed your channel from YouTube,” an email sent to this reporter on Wednesday morning stated.
A video posted to YouTube of white nationalist Nick Fuentes urging his supporters to destroy evidence from the Capitol riot earned a first unexplained strike.
“Nick Fuentes tells his supporters to destroy Capitol riot evidence (The Daily Dot),” the video was captioned. YouTube said, “Our team has reviewed your content, and, unfortunately, we think it violates our Community Guidelines.”
YouTube did not explain why any of these actions were taken.
Over the past month, the Daily Dot also highlighted “Stop The Steal” leader Ali Alexander’s calls to take action on Jan. 6, which ranged from using coded language insinuating violence to outright threatening calls to do harm.
Before the Capitol riot, which turned deadly, Alexander said “something bad” will happen to a Washington, D.C. hotel that had closed over pro-Trump vigilantes coming to town.
While the videos posted might easily have violated the site’s Terms of Service, as the site has cracked down on those stoking violence and calling on followers to commit crimes, documenting these calls for violence is much different than using the platform for incitement.
Banning a reporter from YouTube prohibits us from being able to do our job.
Several requests to Google regarding the matter went unreturned as of publication.