YouTube announces new action against QAnon conspiracy theory but stops short of ban

YouTube announced in a blog post Thursday morning that it would prohibit content that uses the QAnon conspiracy theory to target or harass an individual or group.

The move — which is not a ban on QAnon — is part of an expansion of YouTube's hate and harassment policies that now prohibit content promoting "conspiracy theories that have been used to justify real-world violence."

The company said it had already removed "tens of thousands" of QAnon-related videos and taken down hundreds of channels in accordance with the platform's "existing policies" against hate and harassment, but that the new measures would lead to the prohibition and removal of more videos.

"We will begin enforcing this updated policy today, and will ramp up in the weeks to come," the company said on Thursday. "Due to the evolving nature and shifting tactics of groups promoting these conspiracy theories, we'll continue to adapt our policies to stay current and remain committed to taking the steps needed to live up to this responsibility."

https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-qanon-videos-ban-hate-harassment-policy-conspiracy-theory-2020-10