On Thursday, YouTube revealed that creators whose channels had previously been removed can now apply to open new accounts.
“We recognize that many creators who lost their channels deserve another opportunity — YouTube has grown and transformed over the last two decades, and we’ve also had moments where we needed second chances to better serve our community,” the company shared in a blog update.
YouTube is referring to this policy update as a “pilot.” The decision follows a subpoena from Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) to Alphabet, YouTube’s parent company, investigating whether the Biden-Harris administration had pressured or collaborated with platforms to suppress speech. Last month, Alphabet’s legal representative, Daniel F. Donovan, informed Rep. Jordan in a letter that some banned creators would be permitted to return.
Although YouTube’s blog post does not directly mention its COVID-19 or election integrity rules, Alphabet’s correspondence makes it clear these topics are a primary concern.
“To uphold the Company’s dedication to free speech, YouTube will allow all creators to reapply to the platform if their channels were removed for repeated breaches of COVID-19 or election integrity policies that are no longer enforced,” Alphabet’s letter states. “YouTube values conservative perspectives and acknowledges the significant influence these creators have in public discussions.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter implemented measures to curb the spread of false information about the virus and vaccines.
At that time, YouTube prohibited videos claiming vaccines cause cancer, a statement not supported by scientific evidence. The following year, these platforms also suspended accounts they believed encouraged violence after the events of January 6, including President Donald Trump’s account.
Although these policies have since been revoked, creators banned under those guidelines have still not been able to upload content to YouTube.
TechCrunch reached out to YouTube to clarify if this pilot specifically targets creators banned under COVID-19 and election integrity policies, but did not receive a reply before publication.
“When reviewing applications for new channels, we’ll look at various factors, such as whether the creator committed especially serious or repeated breaches of our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service, or if their actions on or off YouTube have harmed or could harm the community, including endangering children’s safety,” the company explained in its blog.
YouTube further clarified that those banned for copyright violations will not be eligible to apply for a new channel.
Creators must wait a full year after their channel’s removal before they can request a new one; however, they are still able to appeal their ban during that year if they believe YouTube made an error.
If a creator is allowed back, they will need to start over with a new account, as access to their previous channel will not be restored. Nevertheless, once they meet the requirements, they can reapply to the YouTube Partner Program to share in ad revenue.