YouTube has suspended One America News Network (OANN) for repeated violations of video platform COVID-19’s misinformation policy, YouTube confirmed on Tuesday. As a result of the suspension, the channel was also demonetized, YouTube added.
“Since the time of this pandemic, we have been working to prevent the spread of harmful misinformation related to COVID-19 on YouTube. After a thorough review, we removed a video from OANN and struck the channel for violating COVID-19 misinformation. “A policy that prohibits content from claiming a guaranteed cure,” according to a YouTube announcement. “In addition, we have suspended the channel from the YouTube Partner Program due to repeated violations of our COVID-19 misrepresentation policies and the monetization policies of other channels, and as a result, monetization on YouTube.”
YouTube has three strike policies in place before removing an account. The OANN channel is still live, but the strike means it won’t be able to upload new videos or launch new live broadcasts for a week. For future videos to pay off, OANN must re-apply to the YouTube Partner Program. Restricting the program requires that the account fix the issues that led to the suspension.
OANN recently became a favorite of President Donald Trump. The president repeatedly they were promoted segments of the network that promote unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about mass voter fraud and voting machine rigging in the presidential election.
YouTube does not have a policy prohibiting false election claims. The platform before he refused to take off an OANN video that falsely claims that Mr Trump won the 2020 election. The video was uploaded the day after the election before any official news source made a forecast. On November 7, CBS News projected Joe Biden to be the winner.
YouTube originally placed a box below the video, noting that the election results were not final, and included a link to a Google search in the number of votes. On November 7, YouTube updated the column, saying it had declared the Associated Press Biden the winner of the election.
OANN made news earlier this year when the White House Correspondents Association removed the network from the White House’s daily information rotation after one of the news service’s employees twice participated in the briefings out of turn. Employee Chanel Rion continued the briefings as a guest of the White House.
Stephen Gandel contributed to the report.
