Youtube is considered as the most popular platform in video sharing and to take advantage of this, many crypto enthusiasts are using this platform to upload videos regarding crypto-related contents, updates, status, sending invitations to join a certain crypto platform, educating viewers about cryptocurrencies and more. Top crypto vloggers on Youtube already gained hundreds of thousands subscribers and some even earning millions every year.
However, last December 2019, Youtube started deleting crypto-related videos from some of the topped influencers in the industry. They initiated the massive deletion last December 23 based on Reddit and Twitter threads which gives a massive blow to crypto industry.
According to some affected crypto vloggers, the reason why their videos have been deleted is due to violation of "Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.” YouTube spokesperson first explained that its removal of hundreds of crypto-related video was "in error." Affected Youtubers then submitted an appeal then Youtube claimed that the affected videos has been reinstated. @TeamYoutube on Twitter also responded by saying:
And in some complaints via Twitter, the TeamYoutube will only respond through linking the YT guidelines and a reminder to appeal videos with a strike.
Despite claiming that all videos had been reinstated, it seems like it isn't the case because many had yet been restored. No further updates have been posted yet by @TeamYoutube on Twitter. The act brought out fear and loathing and many crypto enthusiasts says Youtube is getting into crypto.
Along with the strikes, numerous theories arose with different interpretations about the Youtube sudden act from different crypto enthusiasts, these includes:
CENSORSHIP - Youtube possibly install some kind of algorithm or AI that automatically flag some crypto channels, pulling channels and deleting crypto-related videos. Although they conceded that it's algorithms sometimes make erroneous calls, it's been a long history that Youtube is censoring crypto content.
SCAM - some commentators says that, perhaps Youtube is trying to protect the consumer from scam. Scam has been rampant in Youtube for many years. Many crypto vloggers took advantage of Youtube and convincing viewers to invest in such crypto platforms stating the benefits and the possible good profit once they invested on it, but, later will ended up as scam. And many giveaway and airdrops scams were uploaded to YouTube every day, some even receiving thousands of views in just a matter of hours.
For example last 2019, the Brad Garlinghouse posted that they are giving out 100,000,000 XRP. On the video about this giveaway, the channel required users to send XRP in order to be eligible for a bigger amount but never arrive.
It turned out to be a scam and Ripple affirmed that users where defrauded by illegally using its logo and the fake involvement of CEO Brad Garlinghouse. The company undergo serious reputational damage due to Youtube's "willful blindness" and a failure to stop such scam.
Due to this issue, Youtube become more strict and started sensoring crypto content.
CRYPTO IS A THREAT TO YT - according to Mati Greenspan (founder of Quantum economics) "We could only speculate on why they might want to censor crypto content, perhaps it threatens their current future business model in some way.” [1]
Another theory based on Ivan on Tech (a crypto youtuber who has been affected by the strike) statement on cointelegraph, he says:
These gives impact to crypto sites and different crypto vloggers. Mostly deleted videos are about Bitcoin and Youtube says that its content is "harmful and dangerous." It may be harmful and dangerous to the banks, but it's an absurd reason. Many Youtubers appealed but weren't given reliable reason why their videos directly violated the rules. The reasons of deleting videos with crypto-related content remains to be unknown.
Through this, crypto vloggers seeks for alternatives aside from Youtube and start vlogging their crypto-related videos on platform with censorship-resistant. Blockchain-based social media platforms are proved to accept crypto-related vlogs.
CRYPTO VLOGGING ALTERNATIVES:
LBRY: uses blockchain technology and is also a sharing platform like Youtube that allow users to publish content and get paid. LBRY also allow users to monetized their published content with its built-it payment system. And on LBRY, Youtubers are allowed to republish their content to LBRY network.
DTUBE: abbreviation for Decentralized Tube. It is a decentralized video platform built on blockchain which has new features like decentralized, crypto incentive, resistant to censorship, claimed fair platform, free of advertisement[2]
BITFINEX: is a social trading platform with Bitfinex Pulse social network which allows crypto traders to collaborate and exchange ideas. This platform focuses on the niche of the users and technically producing high-quality content for a more proficient audience. [3]
STEEMIT: is a blockchain social media platform that uses Steem coin (STEEM) as their native cryptocurrency. Users can earn rewards through commenting on posts or even upvoting other posts. [3]
HIVE: is a social media platform and also a hardfork of Steemit's blockchain. This platform seeks to develop a decentralized social networking hub through its community of users. [3]
MAMBY: is a social media platform powered by artificial intelligence to eradicate inaccurate news. Mamby rewards its users with Bitcoin which is more appealing to a larger audience of crypto enthusiasts. [3]
ETORO: the pioneer of social trading websites which focus on copy trading. This platform offers a way to crypto enthusiasts to get access to social media platform and foe those who would like to learn from crypto experts regarding stocks and forex markets. [3]
REDDIT: is a collection of discussion boards on various topics where users can upvote or downvote posts. Recently, it seems like Reddit is hoping to push blockchain adoption by creating their Community Points on Ethereum and by acting as mainstream betwern its enormous audience and Ethereum blockchain.[4]
Other social media platforms for crypto enthusiasts are: Narrative, Minds, Bitchute, Bittube.
However, audiences are still limited on the said decentralized social media platforms and there are things that still need to be addressed and improved.
Changpeng Zhao, CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Binance said his opinion via Twitter about Youtube's censorhip and successive deletion of crypto content videos:
"It may be time the crypto community take a stab at its own blockchain-enabled censorship-resistant social media platform"
List of crypto channels that were terminated by Youtube:
Ivan on Tech
The Moon (crypto news reporter)
Datadash
Sunny Decree
Boxmining
Crypto Daily
Davinci15 (got permanently deleted just last September 30)
And more...
Sources:
[1] https://twitter.com/MatiGreenspan/status/1209569895236689922?s=20
[2] https://blockchain.news/postamp?id=will-dtube-replace-youtube-the-5-things-you-need-to-know
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Google likes to sensor anything and everything that may threaten them. They have an agenda to be a tech giant.
They use all of our data to develop a I and sell our info to almost anyone and rake in billions of dollars while actually hurting our freedom to use the web without censorship which every country is guilty of