YouTube has launched a “second chance” program for previously blocked creators
By ForGeeks
Alphabet told the U.S. House Judiciary Committee last month that it would allow some creators blocked on YouTube for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and the election to return to the platform. Now the company has revealed exactly how that process will work, though it’s not yet clear exactly who will be able to take advantage of the opportunity. And now the company has revealed exactly how that process will work, though it’s unclear exactly who will be able to take advantage of the opportunity. YouTube said that starting today it will give «some previously blocked creators» the opportunity to submit a request to create a new channel. The company calls it a move toward giving «second chances» to content creators. The announcement does not specifically mention COVID-19 or election-related rules, though those are the ones that have previously displeased congressional Republicans. Instead, YouTube describes the launch as «a pilot program» for «selected creators». Exactly how it will determine who falls into that category, the company does not specify. Last summer, shortly after Alphabet published its letter, far-right commentators Nick Fuentes and Alex Jones — both of whom had been blocked long before the pandemic — attempted to re-register on YouTube, but their channels were quickly deleted. «Our goal — is to gradually expand participation in the program to eligible creators. We ask for patience as we need to carefully review applications and adjust the process as we gain experience» — the company said in a statement. YouTube also noted that not all types of blocking will be eligible for reinstatement. Among the factors that will be considered are «the severity or pattern of violations of community rules and terms of use, and whether the author’s actions have harmed the YouTube community or are likely to continue to do so». Users who have been blocked for copyright infringement will not be able to participate in the program. Any user who has been blocked for copyright infringement will not be able to participate in the program. It’s important to note that YouTube is not giving authors back access to their old channels and subscribers. Those who are allowed to return will only be able to create a brand new channel — effectively starting from scratch.
