YouTube has enabled the QAnon conspiracy theory to spread on its platform
Written by Olivia Little
Published
YouTube is regularly used by followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory as a platform to radicalize new members and widely share misinformation. But during a recent interview on CNN, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki refused to commit to more broadly banning QAnon content from the platform, claiming instead that the company has removed “a lot of it” already. In investigating YouTube’s enforcement claim, Media Matters has identified 17 large QAnon YouTube channels with over 4.7 million subscribers combined containing videos that explicitly violate the platform’s existing terms of use.
As first reported by CNN, Wojcicki talked up YouTube’s removal of QAnon videos without giving many specifics. “We also have already removed a lot of it, in terms of hundreds of thousands of videos because it could violate other parts of our policies: hate, harassment, COVID information,” she said. “There's been quite a lot of videos that have been taken down or the views have been reduced."
This claim follows a similar tactic used by Facebook in explaining its belated decision to remove QAnon content: loudly announcing the removal without actually taking strong community enforcement actions.
When asked why there was resistance to outright banning QAnon content on YouTube, Wojcicki replied: “I think with every policy, it has to be defined very clearly. Like what does that exactly mean, a QAnon group exactly?”
The channels we defined as “QAnon channels” support and peddle claims consistent with the QAnon conspiracy theory to millions of users. Media Matters identified the channels below by searching common QAnon terminology such as “WWG1WGA” (a QAnon slogan meaning “Where We Go One, We Go All”), “Red October,” “the storm,” or simply “QAnon.” (“Red October” and “the storm” both refer to the central QAnon prediction that President Donald Trump will be ordering mass arrests of his political enemies, members of the so-called “deep state,” who will then stand trial and face execution for treason and other supposed crimes.)
YouTube’s hesitation to quickly condemn QAnon and remove content affiliated with the conspiracy theory should not be overlooked. For years, the company has enabled QAnon content creators to radicalize other users and spread misinformation campaigns. The FBI even classified QAnon as a domestic terrorist threat last year following several arrests and incidents of violence, so there is no room for YouTube to deny that the conspiracy theory is dangerous.
Of the 17 QAnon YouTube channels identified by Media Matters, many appear to contain multiple examples of misinformation that explicitly violates YouTube’s community guidelines by circulating false and misleading claims about the election, mail-in voting, the coronavirus pandemic, and more. Other YouTube videos from some of the QAnon channels shown below even appear to promote violence. These 17 channels combined have more than 4.7 million subscribers.
YouTube’s complete condemnation and removal of QAnon content is far overdue.
And We Know - 383,000 subscribers
Violations: Election misinformation and COVID-19 medical misinformation
Destroying the Illusion - 238,000 subscribers
Violation: COVID-19 misinformation
Citation From a July 6, 2020, video posted to the YouTube channel Destroying the Illusion
HOST: During this whole stupid coronavirus pandemic that, as you should very well know, is not really a pandemic. I don’t know what statistic has not been manipulated over the last three months with all of this coronavirus bullshit going on. The testing is so easily manipulated, the positive coronavirus count is so easily manipulated, we know the death count is inflated. So all this debate over whether to wear a mask or not is, well, we wouldn’t even be having this mask conversation if people understood this whole plan, scamdemic thing going on.
Fall Cabal - 480,00 subscribers
Violation: Harmful or dangerous content (calls for violence)
This video suggests that the Clintons and former President Barack Obama should be hanged for committing “high treason.” The details of their supposed crimes are outlined throughout the channel’s 10-part “fall of the cabal” misinformation series.
Citation From a January 30, 2020, video posted to the YouTube channel Fall Cabal
NARRATOR: The people will be shocked to the core when this comes out. Let me give you one piece of advice: When the video of Hillary Clinton and her right hand, Huma Abedin, raping, torturing, mutilating, and killing a little girl comes out in the open, do not watch it. You will not sleep again.
At least one of the videos in the series is currently monetized, meaning that YouTube and the channel earn ad revenue for spreading the QAnon conspiracy theory.
In Pursuit of Truth - 242,000 subscribers
Violation: COVID-19 misinformation
JENNIFER MAC - 74,000 subscribers
Violation: Hate speech
Specifically, this video falsely claiming that former first lady Michelle Obama is a trans woman appears to violate YouTube’s hate speech policy by promoting “hatred against individuals or groups based on ... gender identity and expression.”
Joe M - 367,000 subscribers
Violation: Harmful or dangerous content (calls for violence)
Citation From a March 5, 2019, video posted to the YouTube channel Joe M
NARRATOR: While a lot is improving, it still puzzles many that most of these known criminals are still free, especially the higher-ups like Hillary Clinton, the Bushes, and Obama. That’s coming in the next chapter of the story.
…
Yes, folks, the criminals I’m referring to are famous politicians, actors, singers, CEOs, and celebrities. People who have earned our trust, respect, and admiration. They have done very bad things that are all fully known and documented. They will be severely punished.
…
Fellow slaves, it is time to buckle your seat belt, recognize your true enemy, and embrace a new future that we all owe to the brave patriots who risk their lives to achieve this victory against the greatest force of evil the world has ever known.
Liz Crokin - 204,000 subscribers
Violation: COVID-19 misinformation
Citation From a March 26, 2020, video posted to the YouTube channel Liz Crokin
LIZ CROKIN (HOST): Does it make sense that all of the sudden [Trump] is talking about a girl who is the victim of most likely child sex trafficking and satanic ritualistic abuse? What does that have to do with the virus? What does that have to do with the virus, unless my theory is correct that this virus is being used as a front, and like I said before on other videos, it is real -- it was created by the deep state but it is real -- but the white hats are using this virus as a cover to conduct military operations. And President Trump confirmed that this week. This was a military operation.
This video is part of Crokin’s five-part COVID-19 misinformation series on YouTube.
Patriot News - 40,000 subscribers
Violation: COVID-19 misinformation
A Posteriori Flurry of Logical Faction - 164,000 subscribers
Violation: Voter suppression and election misinformation
This mail-in voting fraud story originated from a right-wing hoax outlet, Project Veritas, claiming to expose liberal corruption with a deceptively edited video. The story was found to be decidedly false.
X22Report - 951,000 subscribers
Violations: Voter Suppression, COVID-19 misinformation
This video pushes the use of hydroxychloroquine and claims that the “deep state” wants mail-in voting because it will lead to voter fraud.
Prayingmedic - 391,000 subscribers
Violation: COVID-19 misinformation
Redpill Project - 59,000 subscribers
Violation: COVID-19 misinformation
In the video, infamous conspiracy theorist David Icke claims that “there is no virus” and describes COVID-19 as the “pandemic hoax”; in fact, Icke was the original reason why YouTube cracked down on the 5G conspiracy theory.
RedPill78 - 266,000 subscribers
Violation: Harmful or dangerous content (calls for violence)
This video appears to violate YouTube’s policy by promoting “Red October,” a reference to the 1990 movie The Hunt for Red October which is widely used by QAnon supporters to describe the supposed coming roundup and mass executions of the president’s enemies. Commenters in the video’s live chat even refer to supposed deep state officials as “scum” and “animals,” with one user suggesting that “you hunt predators from a helicopter with an AR10” rifle.
Sean Morgan - 41,000 subscribers
Violation: Election misinformation and deceptive practices
In this video, the host reads a “Q drop” -- a post made to an online message board by “Q,” the central figure in the QAnon conspiracy theory -- claiming that Democratic nominee Joe Biden received debate help in the form of “a special communication device” and then elaborates by saying that Biden was wearing a “flesh-colored earpiece.” This false conspiracy theory spread widely on YouTube following the first presidential debate.
SGTreport - 630,000 subscribers
Violation: Voter suppression and election misinformation
IntheMatrixxx - 76,000 subscribers
Violation: Election misinformation
In the September 30 video, the host says Biden was “wearing a wire” to cheat during the debate, an entirely unfounded conspiracy theory that went viral after the first presidential debate.
Patriots’ Soapbox News Network LIVE - 80,000 subscribers
Violation: Voter suppression
This video claims that mail-in voting is used by Democrats to commit voter fraud.