Google-owned video giant YouTube recently removed hundreds of cryptocurrency-related videos, apologizing shortly afterward and promised to reinstate banned videos and channels. So far, many are still offline.
Decrypt.co reports that Google-owned video hosting website YouTube removed a large number of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency-related videos from its site earlier this week in what the site has now claimed was an “error.” YouTube has since stated that it would be restoring the suspended videos, but so far many are still offline.
A YouTube spokesperson commented on the deletion stating: “With the massive volume of videos on our site, sometimes we make the wrong call. When it’s brought to our attention that a video has been removed mistakenly, we act quickly to reinstate it.” The spokesperson stated that YouTube’s policies towards cryptocurrency content had not changed and that all affected videos were “reinstated” without “any penalty to the channel.”
Hundreds of channels were affected by the sudden removals which have been referred to as the “Crypto YouTube Purge of 2019” by some:
A video of Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin was removed from the site for being “harmful or dangerous content,” which Buterin commented on, stating: “just…wierd,” adding that it “looks like we need alternatives to YouTube.” YouTube claims that all videos have been reinstated but many still remain offline.
YouTubers DataDash, Ivan on Tech, Sunny Decree and Boxmining all claim that many of their videos have not been reinstated. Although the YouTube spokesperson stated that all affected videos would be reinstated, they also stated that affected users can appeal the removals and YouTube will review the content.
Alex Saunders, who runs NuggetsNewsAU, messaged YouTube on Twitter today saying, “With over 100 videos removed & 2 strikes in 24 hours I have still not even received an email from you. This is really scary. We’ve hired new staff. I have a wife & baby to support. I can’t fix the problem if I don’t know what I’ve done or who to communicate with!?” So far many videos continue to remain offline.
Saunders expanded on YouTube’s treatment of his business in a second tweet:
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or email him at lnolan@breitbart.com