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YouTube suspends Sky News Australia for a week

On August 1, 2021, YouTube suspended Sky News Australia's channel from uploading for one week under its COVID-19 medical misinformation policies. The action followed a review of posts that questioned whether a pandemic existed and how effective vaccines were. Sky News said it supports open debate.

Aug 1, 2021
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Whose side it served: Neither party

An Australian case: the suspension hit a right-leaning outlet critical of lockdowns, but it involved no U.S. party.

What the record shows

AFP, via Dawn, reported that YouTube cited its 'clear and established' COVID-19 medical misinformation policies, which it said were meant to prevent misinformation causing real-world harm. Some of the channel's posts had questioned the existence of the pandemic and vaccine efficacy. The channel's last upload before the suspension featured a host saying lockdowns had failed and criticizing Sydney's extended stay-at-home orders. Sky News Australia, owned by News Corp, confirmed the temporary ban and said it supports open debate on many topics and viewpoints.

In their words

“clear and established Covid-19 medical misinformation policies”— YouTube statement · source
The other side

YouTube said the action was based on specific videos breaking published medical misinformation rules, not on the outlet's editorial stance; Sky News said robust debate, including criticism of lockdowns, is essential to democracy.

Sources

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