Bold introduction:
YouTube’s reversal of its decision to remove content advancing false claims about the 2020 Presidential election is a long-overdue victory for free speech, but the damage has already been done through years of relentless censorship that stifled political discourse.
Body:
The admission by the platform that their censorship efforts might have had unintended consequences is a glaring case of too little, too late. With the streaming giant confessing to tens of thousands of video removals spanning the length of an election cycle, the impact of this censorship on political speech and public discourse cannot be understated.
Four key instances that demonstrate the devastating reach of YouTube’s censorship include:
1. The suspension of The Hill’s channel for posting videos containing Trump’s statements on voter fraud. Even though these videos featured a former President’s remarks on election integrity, YouTube deemed them in violation of their election integrity policy, resulting in a seven-day ban on posting and live streaming for the outlet.
2. The removal of a video clip posted by the January 6 Committee due to a perceived lack of “sufficient context.” Though the video included President Trump making allegations about voter fraud, it did not include denials from former Attorney General Bill Barr, leading to its removal for not providing adequate context.
3. The deletion of two days of CPAC 2022 videos from YouTube. The platform claimed that the removed content violated their election integrity policy but failed to consider that many speakers during the conference didn’t focus solely on the election.
4. The removal of a DC Clips interview with a January 6 rioter. Despite the video being instrumental in the prosecution of the individual in question, YouTube removed it
