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TalkRadio: YouTube kicks channel off its platform TalkRadio: YouTube reverses decision to ban channel
(about 4 hours later)
TalkRadio specialises in news and other speech-related radio programmes YouTube has reinstated TalkRadio's channel on its platform hours after saying it had been "terminated" for breaking the tech firm's rules.
YouTube has removed TalkRadio's channel from its platform. It said the broadcaster had posted material that contradicted expert advice about the coronavirus pandemic.
The Google-owned service has not given an explanation for its action, but there is speculation that it relates to its rules on Covid-19-related misinformation. But it explained its U-turn saying it sometimes made exceptions to guidelines that state repeat offenders face a permanent ban.
Fact-checkers have repeatedly challenged some of the claims made by interviewees featured by the London-based radio station. TalkRadio said it had yet to be given a full explanation for the affair.
TalkRadio said it was seeking an explanation and defended its output. The decision to ban TalkRadio had appalled digital rights campaigners, with one group - Big Brother Watch - claiming it was evidence that "big tech censorship is spiralling out of control".
"We urgently await a detailed response from Google/YouTube about the nature of the breach that has led to our channel being removed from its platform," it said in a statement posted to Twitter. The Google-owned service has issued a brief statement explaining its actions.
"TalkRadio is an Ofcom-licensed and regulated broadcaster, and has robust editorial controls in place, taking care to balance debate. "TalkRadio's YouTube channel was briefly suspended, but upon further review, has now been reinstated," it said.
"We regularly interrogate government data and we have controls in place, use verifiable sources and give space to careful selection of voices and opinions." "We quickly remove flagged content that violate our community guidelines, including Covid-19 content that explicitly contradict expert consensus from local health authorities or the World Health Organization. We make exceptions for material posted with an educational, documentary, scientific or artistic purpose, as was deemed in this case."
TalkRadio had used YouTube to livestream shows and to offer highlights as clips that could be embedded elsewhere Three strikes
For now, YouTube's only statement on the matter is a notification on what used to be TalkRadio's page on its platform. YouTube has not published details of the offending posts.
"This account has been terminated for violating YouTube's Community Guidelines," it says. But independent fact-checkers have repeatedly challenged some of the claims made by interviewees featured by the London-based radio station.
The media watchdog Ofcom told the BBC: ""This was a decision for YouTube. Like other UK stations, TalkRadio's radio channel comes under our Broadcasting Code. When we assess programmes under our rules, we take account of a broadcaster's right to freedom of expression, and the right of listeners to receive information and ideas."
Covid rules
TalkRadio has about 424,000 listeners, according to the latest figures from market research provider Rajar.
It had used YouTube as a means to livestream shows from its studios and to provide an archive of past broadcasts.
It noted that it continued to stream its programmes via its own website as well as Facebook.
However, YouTube's action means that TalkRadio's website now features many articles featuring broken embedded clips, as do other outlets that embedded its material.
YouTube operates a "three strikes" policy, whereby channels that break its community guidelines three times within a 90-day period can be permanently banned, but other infractions lead to temporary restrictions.YouTube operates a "three strikes" policy, whereby channels that break its community guidelines three times within a 90-day period can be permanently banned, but other infractions lead to temporary restrictions.
Prohibited content includes "medically unsubstantiated claims" relating to Covid-19, and videos that contradict expert consensus from local health authorities such as the NHS.Prohibited content includes "medically unsubstantiated claims" relating to Covid-19, and videos that contradict expert consensus from local health authorities such as the NHS.
"YouTube is making decisions about which opinions the public are allowed to hear, even when they are sourced to responsible and regulated new providers," TalkRadio said in a statement this evening.
"This sets a dangerous precedent and is censorship of free speech and legitimate national debate."
The broadcaster tweeted the statement minutes after YouTube's change of heart. It did not appear to be aware that its channel had been reinstated at the time, but has since acknowledged the move.
Covid bans
TalkRadio has about 424,000 listeners, according to the latest figures from market research provider Rajar.
It uses YouTube as a means to livestream shows from its studios and to provide an archive of past broadcasts.
Its channel on the platform has 242,000 subscribers.
YouTube's action had meant that TalkRadio's website had featured articles featuring broken embedded clips for most of the day, and that users who had shared its clips would have been unable to view them.
The US firm has previously imposed a permanent ban against conspiracy theorist David Icke, and a one-week video suspension of right-wing outlet One America News Network's ability to publish new clips - in both cases for breaches of its Covid rules.The US firm has previously imposed a permanent ban against conspiracy theorist David Icke, and a one-week video suspension of right-wing outlet One America News Network's ability to publish new clips - in both cases for breaches of its Covid rules.
Digital rights campaign group Big Brother Watch likened the latest action to the kind of behaviour one would expect in China.
"YouTube's termination of a national broadcaster is further evidence that privatised, big tech censorship is spiralling out of control and must be challenged," its director Silkie Carlo told the BBC. It's pretty clear something has gone wrong at YouTube in the last 24 hours.
Social media sites have come under increasing pressure to tackle the rise of coronavirus falsehoods and conspiracies online - particularly about the vaccine and the latest wave of coronavirus. It appeared as though TalkRadio had been banned for good on YouTube - or "terminated" as the company put it.
But they face a number or dilemmas. Primarily, the battle between free speech and the need to tackle disinformation that has been linked to real-world harm. YouTube is now saying it was a short suspension, which certainly seems like a backtrack.
Drawing a line between what counts as legitimate concerns about lockdowns and false conspiracies about the pandemic can be tricky - especially when some of those views are carried by mainstream news outlets. Even now, it's not obvious what the offending material was that caused this action. The whole process reinforces the idea that YouTube's moderation policies - where it draws the line between freedom of expression and clamping down on misinformation - can be messy and inconsistent.
YouTube has previously taken action against influencers and groups who have shared popular, slick videos promoting false claims about the pandemic - but the action against TalkRadio's popular radio station marks a first, at least for the UK. And when YouTube takes such an action without giving full details, it rains controversy down on its own head.
It remains unclear why TalkRadio's YouTube account was removed - but it has been controversial for its choice of speakers and discussions around the pandemic and lockdowns. This plays to a broader movement by YouTube and other social media companies to take a harder line on disinformation.
Joe Biden is about to become US President - and he wants social media companies to do more to remove fake news.
But as they are increasingly finding out, refereeing their own platforms can be hugely difficult, and this highlights the need for greater transparency about moderation decisions.