YouTube Sky News Australia has been suspended from its platform for a week, claiming that the network spread COVID-19 misinformation and violated its community policy.
After the social media company reviewed several posts uploaded by TV channels that questioned the existence of a pandemic and the efficacy of the vaccine, it imposed a suspension on Thursday.
Its clips are shared with 1.8 million fans on the YouTube channel, and its commentators enjoy conservative followers outside of Australia.
In a statement obtained protector, YouTube said: “We have clarified and formulated a COVID-19 medical misinformation policy…to prevent the spread of COVID-19 misinformation that may cause harm to the real world.
“No matter who the uploader is, we apply our policies equally to everyone, and in accordance with these policies and our long-standing strike system, remove videos from the Australian Sky News channel and issue warnings to them.”
It concluded: “Specifically, we do not allow content that denies the existence of COVID-19 or encourages people to use hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin to treat or prevent the virus. We do allow videos to have a sufficient anti-subsidy background. The video that violates the rules is not provided.”
In a statement obtained by Agence France-Presse, Sky News Australia said “we support extensive discussions and debates on a wide range of topics and viewpoints that are essential to any democracy.”
“We take our commitment to meeting editor and community expectations seriously.”
Newsweek contacted YouTube Comment with Sky News Australia.
In the last upload of Sky News Australia on July 28, the 80-year-old host Alan Jones criticized the lockdown measures in Sydney, the country’s largest city, and attacked the stay-at-home order.
Two days ago, Jones also criticized the president’s chief medical adviser. Anthony FauciThe COVID guidelines for the United States stated that he and his team “stand on the left side of politics.”
In its community guidelines section, YouTube explained its “three strikes” policy, which for the first time resulted in the channel being banned from uploading videos, live broadcasts or stories for a week.
After the suspension is lifted, access will resume, but the strike will remain on the channel for 90 days.
If the user violates these conditions again within these 90 days, a second warning will be issued, which will result in a two-week suspension, and the warning will not expire within 90 days.
If a violation occurs within these 90 days, the channel will be permanently deleted from YouTube, and the third and final warning will be issued.
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