Crypto communities unite on YouTube deleting crypto-related content from some of the most popular influencers from the blockchain space.
On Dec. 23 YouTube took down some of the most popular crypto contents stating them to be “harmful content” while temporarily banning the accounts of some of the most popular Crypto Youtubers. It was first brought to notice based on twitter and reddit threads.
Crypto YouTuber Chris Dunn with over 210,000 subscribers took to Twitter to reveal that YouTube removed his videos where ‘cryptocurrencies’ were mentioned.
.@YouTube just removed most of my crypto videos citing "harmful or dangerous content" and "sale of regulated goods"… it's been 10 years of making videos, 200k+ subs, and 7M+ views. WTF are you guys doing @TeamYouTube?! pic.twitter.com/MPcKbBVrC4 — Chris Dunn (@ChrisDunnTV) December 23, 2019
Another YouTuber from the crypto space, Robert Beadles, host of Crypto Beadles with 89.3 thousand subscribers took to Twitter stating that Youtube temporarily shut him down.
Hey peeps!@YouTube @YTCreators has shut us down for a while. Guess free content and never taking a penny for any content is bad? We’ll post on my Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram going forward all accounts are under Robert Beadles there. God Bless #censorship #youtube #bitcoin — CryptoBeadles (@RobertBeadles) December 24, 2019
Although it seems that Crypto Beadles YouTube page is running again, it hadn’t been such for other crypto YouTubers.
YouTuber Ivan on Tech had received one strike. It appears so that two more strikes within 90 days and his account will be deleted permanently from YouTube:
“This is an attack not only on crypto, but on the entire notion of free speech. Centralized platforms have become way too big and powerful for their own good and their deplatforming is the reason decentralized platforms will conquer.”
On Dec. 24 a list was updated on twitter, the accounts of those whose crypto-related content was banned from YouTube uploaded by the user Omar Bham (@crypt0snews):
Updated list (it's growing fast) pic.twitter.com/STyni4IkqV — Omar Bham (Crypt0) (@crypt0snews) December 24, 2019
Youtube’s Sudden Crackdown On Crypto Contents
Although not clear on why the video-sharing giant had removed crypto-related content from its platform, that itself let to various kinds of speculations from the crypto community.
Bham brought out to notice that YouTube might be deleting those channels that had external websites or exchanges in the video description.
It seems that a reason why YouTube would have to go after crypto channels is any links to external websites/exchanges in video descriptions I'm using TubeBuddy to edit ALL of my descriptions at once. Get a subscription here, to make your life easy.https://t.co/gkn1QMBgRZ pic.twitter.com/LL6dgB7plK — Omar Bham (Crypt0) (@crypt0snews) December 25, 2019
To highlight the point, Youtuber Rachel Siegel, with over 2.54 subscribers reached out that her channel Crypto Finally had not been affected by the ban:
“I have not personally been affected by the apparent ban on cryptocurrency videos on YouTube, however, I think it is clear that this is some sort of targeted attack. Tech censorship has been getting a lot of public spotlight lately, and as we continue to grow as an industry I can expect we will continue to see more mass bans and crypto content takedowns.”
Siegel mentioned that she does not link to external websites or exchanges in any of her videos.
Siegel adds:
“I once referenced Coinbase, but took that down”
Although some YouTube channels had not been censored by the platform twitter continued to point out on the channels that have been impacted.
The YouTube purge has now reached my channel! One video from 27th of January 2019 "broke the rules" because it was "Harmful and dangerous content". Sure, #Bitcoin is harmful and dangerous for the banks, but this is just ridiculous. RETWEET for awareness!#Censorship #YouTube pic.twitter.com/GscSbe1WHN — The Moon (@themooncarl) December 25, 2019
MoonCarl adds:
This YouTube crypto purge is by far the biggest censorship-attack against the #Bitcoin community in BTC history! — The Moon (@themooncarl) December 25, 2019
While crypto influencers still unsure as to why YouTube started abruptly banning crypto-related content, the twitter account of Team Youtube replied to Bham’s tweet showing an updated list of crypto influencers that have been banned from the platform.
Jumping in – we're looking into this. Hope to share an update soon. — TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) December 25, 2019
Bham added:
“That thread with Team YouTube was the extent of any direct responses that I’ve heard of. Team YouTube last updated us by linking to the regular YT community guidelines, and a reminder that we can appeal videos with a strike. Several YouTubers appealed, and had their appeals rejected, with no clear reason again as to why the video directly violated guidelines.”
Alternative Decentralized Sharing Platform
Even though YouTube is the most popular video-sharing platform with over 1.9 billion users. The ban invoked crypto influencers on looking for other decentralized based platforms to share their content.
Naomi Brockwell, Host of YouTube channel NBTV with over 30,000 subscribers says she was not affected by the YouTube ban. However, even Naomi has started considering on decentralized platforms:
“I haven’t been affected by the youTube ban yet, but I would just add that we’ve had alternative decentralized platforms like LBRY for a long time with limited support from youtubers. Hopefully this is a wakeup call.”
YouTubers using decentralized platforms have pointed out that there is an audience limitation as users viewing crypto content on decentralized platform have already an understanding of blockchain and cryptocurrency.
Siegel of Crypto Finally adds:
“In addition to YouTube, many creators including myself are using decentralized content platforms such DTube, Steemit, Minds, LBRY, Bitchute & Bittube, explained. While these platforms do solve the issue of censorship and takedowns of our content, it unfortunately still does limit our audiences. Meaning it limits everyday people from getting involved in crypto in the first place”
Even though there is an audience limitation on the decentralized platforms, various other challenges are there that needs to be addressed such as:
Privacy rights
Regulations
Copyright Protection and more must be resolved before serious YouTubers migrate their content to these platforms.
Changpeng Zhao, the founder, and CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Binance took to Twitter expressing his dilemma:
It may be time the #crypto community take a stab at its own blockchain-enabled sensorship-resistent social media platform. Lots of challenges though, spam, scam, trolls, incentives, copyright, token economics, governance, stickiness, privacy… But It’s about time! — CZ Binance (@cz_binance) December 25, 2019
* Youtube has re-enabled crypto contents while admitting there had been a mistake from their side
References: Cointelegraph | AMB Crypto