Fourteen YouTube channels have suspended payments from the company amid allegations that they leaked misinformation about the country’s 2022 elections.
“In compliance with the decision of the Brazilian Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) of August 16, YouTube reports that it has suspended access to revenue attributed to those responsible for the 14 channels indicated by the TSE,” a YouTube spokesman told The Hill . a statement.
“We reinforce our commitment to continue collaborating with the work of the Brazilian authorities and to continue investing in policies, resources and products to protect the youtube community from harmful content,” the person added.
The news comes after several social and multimedia platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, were run last week by Brazil’s inspector general of electoral justice, Luis Felipe Salomão, to temporarily stop payments to creators and other entities allegedly involved in electoral misinformation.
The cable service reported that many of the target YouTube channels were supporters of controversial Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro may soon face an investigation into unfounded claims that fraud exists within Brazil’s voting system, according to CNN.
The far-right president has also been criticized for his treatment of the COVID-19 pandemic, including overcharges and allegations of corruption involving a deal to secure Bharat Biotech vaccines, Reuters reported.
Like YouTube channels, Bolsonaro has also been the target of the video platform for allegedly spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.
YouTube confirmed in July that it had removed videos from the president’s channel “after careful review,” citing its policy on coronavirus misinformation.
“Our policies do not allow content that states that hydroxychloroquine and / or Ivermectin are effective in treating or preventing COVID-19, states that there is a guaranteed cure for COVID-19, and states that masks do not work to prevent the spread of the virus, “a YouTube spokesman told The Hill in a statement in July.
“This is in line with the guidance of local and global health authorities and we update our policies as the guidelines change. We apply our policies consistently across the platform, regardless of speaker or political vision. “, added the spokesman.
Updated August 27 at 10:05 p.m.