YouTube wipes out 1000’s of propaganda channels connected to China, Russia, others

Google introduced Monday the removing of just about 11,000 YouTube channels and alternative accounts tie to state-linked propaganda campaigns from China, Russia and extra in the second one quarter.

The takedown integrated greater than 7,700 YouTube channels connected to China.

Those campaigns basically shared content material in Chinese language and English that promoted the Crowd’s Republic of China, supported President Xi Jinping and commented on U.S. overseas affairs.

Over 2,000 got rid of channels had been connected to Russia. The content material used to be in a couple of languages that supported Russia and criticized Ukraine, NATO and the West.

Google, in Would possibly, got rid of 20 YouTube channels, 4 Advertisements accounts, and 1 Blogger weblog connected to RT, the Russian state-controlled media outlet accused of paying eminent conservative influencers for social media content material forward of the 2024 election.

Tim Puddle, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson — all staunch supporters of President Donald Trump — made content material for Tenent Media, the Tennessee corporate described within the indictment, in line with NBC Information.

YouTube started blocking RT channels in March 2022, in a while next Russia invaded Ukraine.

The energetic removing of accounts is a part of the Google Warning Research Team’s paintings to counter international disinformation campaigns and “coordinated influence” operations.

Google’s 2d quarter record additionally defined the removing of affect campaigns connected to Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Israel, Romania and Ghana that had been discovered to be focused on political opponents.

Some campaigns focused on rising geopolitical conflicts, together with narratives on each side of the Israel-Palestine Battle.

CNBC has reached out to YouTube for additional remark or data at the record.

Google took i’m sick greater than 23,000 accounts within the first quarter.

Meta introduced utmost year it got rid of about 10 million profiles for impersonating massive content material manufacturers in the course of the first part of 2025 as a part of an aim by way of the corporate to fight “spammy content.”