YouTube overturned a short-lived ban on TalkRadio digital station from its platform, about twelve hours after it removed the organization’s channel for what it said were violations of its community guidelines.
The station, which is part of Rupert Murdoch’s TalkSport network, said the platform did not report the latest breach. A TalkRadio spokesman said: “We are urgently awaiting a detailed response from Google / YouTube regarding the nature of the breach which led to our channel being removed from its platform.
“TalkRadio is a broadcast-licensed and regulated broadcaster and has robust editorial controls, which ensure the balance of debate.
“We regularly survey government data and we have controls, use verifiable resources and allow for a careful selection of votes and opinions.”
The streaming platform broke its silence on Tuesday night and reinstated TalkRadio’s account. “TalkRadio’s YouTube channel was briefly suspended, but after further investigation it has now been reinstated,” a YouTube spokesperson said. ‘We quickly remove tagged content that violates our community guidelines, including Covid-19 content that explicitly violates expert consensus from local health authorities or the World Health Organization. We make exceptions to material posted for an educational, documentary, scientific or artistic purpose, as considered in this case. ‘
An insider from TalkRadio told Guardian that the issue is particularly acute for programs that host public debates about the coronavirus. “You can have a debate about a case and if, according to someone, it undermines official guidance in any way, it is classified as medical misinformation,” they said.
YouTube’s content moderation system maintains a ‘three strikes’ rule, under which accounts can become ‘strikes’ for posting content that violates the content guidelines. A single strike carries a number of restrictions, but a channel that receives three strikes within a 90-day period will be completely removed from the platform. There has been one previous strike on TalkRadio’s account for a discussion of Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, according to the Guardian.
The platform has a specific set of policies regarding medical misinformation related to Covid. At least two of the host’s stations, Mark Dolan and Julia Hartley-Brewer, regularly speak out against lock-in policies, as well as off-air.
Shortly after the news of the suspension broke, Cabinet Minister Michael Gove appeared on Hartley-Brewer’s show and spoke in defense of TalkRadio’s right to criticize the government.
“I do not believe in censorship and we have a free and fair press, and we have commentators and interviewers who criticize the government’s position,” Gove said, “from Lord Sumption to Peter Hitchens and others, and it may take a long time. stay that way. I think it’s totally right for people to ask questions. ”
YouTube’s definition of medical misinformation, although similar to that of competitors such as Facebook and Twitter, has drawn criticism in itself.
Commentators noted that the rule in the course of the pandemic was that criticism of organizations that changed their advice – in some cases significantly – changed.
In March 2020, for example, many technology platforms claim that incorrect information claims that wearing a mask can help prevent the spread of Covid; The same technology platforms are now considered misinformation as the claim that mask wear cannot help prevent the spread of Covid. In both cases, statements from local and international health authorities are behind the decision.
An Ofcom spokesman said: “It was a decision for YouTube. Like other UK stations, TalkRadio’s radio channel comes under our broadcast code. When judging programs according to our rules, we take into account the right of a broadcaster to freedom of expression and the right of listeners to receive information and ideas. ‘