After a recent false start, which saw several controversial web celebrities seeking to kickstart their YouTube channels once again, YouTube has now officially launched its new “second chance” program, which will give creators who have been permanently banned from the app an opportunity to return, and resume posting their clips.
As explained by YouTube:
“We’ve heard loud and clear from our creator community that they want more options to return to YouTube. So we’re happy to share that we’re introducing a pilot program to offer some qualified creators an opportunity to rebuild their presence on YouTube.”
“Qualified creators” is an important qualifier here, with YouTube noting that it will consider several factors when evaluating whether a creator should be given a second chance under this program.
Among them will be whether they “committed particularly severe or persistent violations” of the platform’s Terms of Service, and/or whether the creator’s on- or off-platform activity caused harm, or may continue to harm the YouTube community.
So it’s not going to be a free-for-all, with every previously banned creator returning to the platform once again. But as noted, that hasn’t stopped some of the more controversial identities immediately seeking to get back on the app, in order to increase their reach and monetization potential.
Last week, YouTube immediately removed newly created accounts for conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and far-right commentator Nick Fuentes, both of whom were under the impression that the second-chance amnesty program was already in effect.
It wasn’t, but now, these are just a couple of the many banned YouTubers who will be trying to find their way back in, which could lead to the platform hosting more controversial, questionable content.
But then again, YouTube’s not changing its moderation policies, and these new channels will still be held to the same standards as they always have been.
Though at the same time, it also seems likely that at least some controversial creators will use this as an opportunity to deliberately get themselves banned from the app once more, in order to highlight the bias in YouTube’s systems, and its relative restrictions on their interpretation of “free speech” in this context.
So maybe, in some ways, YouTube’s actually setting itself up to become a showcase for these controversial identities as well, in their ongoing ideological crusades. But YouTube owner Google is trying to better align with the Trump Administration, which has called for more freedom of communications, in all forms, online.
It’ll be interesting to see, then, just how lenient it might be in this respect.
Google says that previously banned channels will have the opportunity to re-activate their old accounts via YouTube Studio, if they’re eligible for reinstatement.
“Over the next several weeks, eligible creators will begin to see an option to request a new channel when they log into YouTube Studio on desktop with their previously terminated channel. Creators whose requests are accepted will be able to create new channels.”
YouTube further notes that there are now more than 3 million channels in the YouTube Partner Program, through which it’s paid out over $100 billion to creators over the past four years.
So aside from the reach benefits, there’s clearly a lot to be gained from being present in the app, which is why this is going to open the door to many controversial and questionable creators looking to get back onto the platform.
Though it’ll be interesting to see how long they last, and whether they’ll be able to abide by YouTube’s rules this time.
You can learn more about YouTube’s second chance program here.
