The popular Google-owned video platform YouTube removes cryptocurrency related videos, even from some of the most popular content creators in this space.
YouTube deleted the video after marking it “harmful and dangerous,” at least one popular YouTuber said its video was removed due to “selling regulated goods.” Various popular channels produce crypto content, including Chris Dunn. , Crypto Tips, The Cryptoverse, Chico Crypto and Node Investor, they removed the video without any notification.
While the platform is known for crushing those who violate advertiser friendly rules, most of the removed crypto content did not appear to violate any YouTube rules. Chris Dunn's YouTube channel, for example, has over 210 subscribers and is not purely crypto-focused. Most of his videos mentioning crypto have been removed.
.@YouTube just removed most of my crypto videos citing “harmful or dangerous content” and “sale of regulated goods”… it's been 10 years of making videos, 200k+ subs, and 7M+ views. WTF are you guys doing @TeamYouTube?! pic.twitter.com/MPcKbBVrC4
- Chris Dunn (@ChrisDunnTV) December 23, 2019
Chico Crypto, a content creator specializing only in cryptocurrencies with 67 subscribers, also revealed that some of his videos were shot on the platform, and one of them supposedly only asked people if they had ever heard of bitcoins.
According to YouTuber’s statement, “none” of the videos that were removed from his channel violated YouTube’s community guidelines. Subsequently, Chico Crypto showed screenshots from the Telegram chat, where the attackers seem to admit that they mark his video for deletion.
So My Channel Is Getting Attacked Right Now!@YTCreators @YouTube
Not A Single One of These Videos Violates The Community Guidelines!
Yet, All Videos Have Been Taken Down, I Have A Strike On My Channel & I'm Banned From YouTube For A Week ??
Ok ??? Would Be Nice If I Wasn't pic.twitter.com/Mm6yC7HiWB
- Chico Crypto (Giving Away Eth-Jeez Greedy F *** s) (@ChicoCrypto) December 23, 2019
The International Business Times reports that YouTube has massively removed videos in the past for security reasons, especially those infected with the Stantinko botnet. While this might explain why videos are being removed because they might be “harmful and dangerous,” it doesn't explain why some are being removed for “selling regulated items”.
In response to the deletion, many in the cryptocurrency community have pointed to blockchain-based alternatives to the Google platform. These include Steemit, DTube, and DLive.