The Google-owned video platform says removing videos that falsely claim the 2020 election suffered from errors can ‘have the unintended effect of curtailing political speech.’
In a controversial move, YouTube will allow videos that claim the 2020 presidential election suffered from “widespread fraud, errors, or glitches,” even though the service itself knows such allegations are false.
In December 2020, YouTube banned videos that falsely claimed widespread voting fraud had altered the outcome to the presidential election. But on Friday, the Google-owned service said it’s time to lift the restrictive policy, citing the need to protect free speech.
“The ability to openly debate political ideas, even those that are controversial or based on disproven assumptions, is core to a functioning democratic society—especially in the midst of election season,” YouTube wrote in a blog post.
YouTube adds that it removed “tens of thousands of videos” while cracking down on the election misinformation.
