From ban to brand-new: YouTube lets terminated creators start a new channel

In a new pilot initiative, YouTube is allowing select terminated creators to appeal for a fresh start by requesting a new channel under revised platform rules

YouTube creators whose accounts got terminated due to non-compliance with community guidelines and other policies will now get a chance to request a new account. YouTube has announced that it is introducing a pilot program to offer some creators an opportunity to rebuild their presence on YouTube. The ones who make use of this opportunity and get their lifetime ban revoked will be allowed to make a new channel. Notably, they will have to start afresh and won’t get access to their old account with subscribers.

 

YouTube in a blog wrote, “We know many terminated creators deserve a second chance – YouTube has evolved and changed over the past 20 years, and we’ve had our share of second chances to get things right with our community too.” The company, however, has noted that not every type of channel termination will be eligible to take this second chance.

YouTube second chance program: How will this work

In the coming weeks, eligible creators logging into YouTube Studio on desktop with a previously terminated channel will see an option to request a new channel. Once they click on it, their request will be sent to YouTube for review. If YouTube finds that the content of that creator does not violate any existing policies then it might approve the creator’s request. Once approved, they can set up a new channel.

 

YouTube in the blog post wrote, “We’ll consider several factors when evaluating requests for new channels, like whether the creator committed particularly severe or persistent violations of our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service, or whether the creator’s on- or off-platform activity harmed or may continue to harm the YouTube community, like channels that endanger kids’ safety.”

 

It added, “Additionally, this pilot won’t be available to creators terminated for copyright infringement or those who have violated our Creator Responsibility policies. Creators who deleted their YouTube channel/Google account will not be able to see the ‘request a new channel’ option at this time.”

Why is YouTube doing this

According to a report by TechCrunch, YouTube’s parent company, Alphabet, was subpoenaed to investigate if the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration had “coerced or colluded” platforms into censoring speech. In response to this, Alphabet said that it will let some of the terminated creators return to YouTube.