Google-owned video sharing platform YouTube has temporarily banned the channels of two cryptocurrency content creators over alleged policy breaches.
According to both content creators – “Ivan on Tech” and “The Moon” – the platform delivered a strike notice against their accounts, restricting their abilities to publish content, livestream, or share storied via the platform.
The videos within the content creators’ channels have also been temporarily deleted, but are back online at press time. The channels were banned over supposed violations on the “sale of regulated goods and services policy” YouTube has, although the policy doesn’t mention cryptocurrencies.
YouTuber “The Moon,” who has over 89,000 subscribers” took to Twitter to vent about the platform’s decision, while “Ivan on Tech,” who has over 216,000 subscribers, revealed he would be streaming from his own website from now on, over the repeated strikes he has received on YouTube.
Some on social media pointed out YouTube may be removing content because of sensational headlines and exaggerated claims, while others point out blockchain-based alternatives to the platform, including Steemit, DTube, and DLive.
Notably, in December 2019 the Google-owned video sharing platform started removing cryptocurrency-related videos from various channels, in what appeared to a crackdown on cryptocurrency content.
At the time it was speculated attackers were hitting YouTubers’ videos by flagging them numerous times for removal, but later on YouTube admitted the content was mistakenly removed and reinstated the affected channels.
It’s worth noting hackers have over the past several months been hijacking the channels of popular YouTubers to run cryptocurrency scams, which may be affected the platform’s take on cryptocurrency-related content. In a reported case, the hackers made over $15,000 worth of XRP from viewers.
