YouTube removes more channels promoting the Kremlin’s agenda

Google has terminated over 900 YouTube channels identified as part of the Russia-linked influence operations. The channels supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and were critical of NATO, Kyiv, and the West in general.

In May 2022, Susan Wojcicki, then a CEO of YouTube, said that videos and channels denying or trivializing the war in Ukraine violated YouTube’s policy. Every quarter, the social media platform publishes an update detailing its actions to stop various influence campaigns.

As usual, Russia and China dominate its Q1 report when it comes to the number of blocked channels.

Google said it had terminated over 18,000 YouTube channels linked to China influence operations.

When it comes to Russia, numbers are not that impressive. However, it shows a continuous attempt to spread its influence in the West.

In Q1, YouTube terminated over 900 channels identified as related to Russian influence campaigns.

Over 400 were linked to the Internet Research Agency (IRA). Their content supported the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organization, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and was critical of Ukraine.

Some of the terminated channels were linked to actors tied with Russian intelligence and promoting the Kremlin’s agenda, including justification of the war in Ukraine and the quality of daily life in Russia.

Some of the channels were linked to Russian consulting firms and promoted support for Vladimir Putin, and criticized Ukraine, NATO, and the West in general.

Most of the blocked channels were spreading content in Russian, although there were some attempts to promote its point of view in German and Polish, among other languages. Some of them also were critical of Ukrainian refugees.