The online video streaming platform known as YouTube stopped Steven Crowder, a critic, from running ads on his YouTube channel after a tweet thread in which the host of Vox (a publication of Vox Media) Carlos Maza provided multiple instances where the critic made use of homophobic expressions. According to the reports reaching us from our sources, the platform first considered removing his channel before it finally settled for suspending his monetization a day later.
However, a recent tweet on the matter highlights that the restriction that was placed on his channel is not one that is permanent as YouTube stated that it could restore the critic’s monetization if he “addresses all of the issues with his channel”. This includes taking out everything that is a link to the store where he sells shirts that carry slogans such as “Socialism Is For Fags”. Vox’s host, Carlos Maza had one on occasion condemned YouTube for placing only the penalty of demonetization on the channel of Crowder stating that the penalty would not suffice and “basically all political content gets demonetized”.
Maza accused Crowder of violating YouTube harassment policy which says, “content that is deliberately posted in order to humiliate someone,” “content that makes hurtful and negative personal comments/videos about another person,” and “content that incites others to harass or threaten individuals on or off YouTube” is forbidden. YouTube in response to this said that, “while we found language that was clearly hurtful, the videos as posted don’t violate our policies.”
YouTube support team said the online platform “came to this decision because a pattern of egregious actions has harmed the broader community and is against our YouTube Partner Program policies” after they had investigated the critic’s channel. Right now, Steven’s videos cannot be used as ads through the YouTube AdSense network. However, demonetization also means the channel will not be recommended to viewers. Our sources have reached out to YouTube to see if there will be more sanctions.
Policy cited by YouTube for new actions was introduced in february last year as a result of the scandal involving Logan Paul uploading a video of a dead body that called for universal criticism and advertisers threatened to stop spending on ads. The policy is as follows:
“When one creator does something particularly blatant — like conducts a heinous prank where people are traumatized, promotes violence or hate toward a group, demonstrates cruelty, or sensationalizes the pain of others in an attempt to gain views or subscribers — it can cause lasting damage to the community, including viewers, creators and the outside world.”
In addition, the demonetization procedure is also a measure that is to be taken to tackle hate speech on the streaming service.
