For the past month, YouTube has been shutting down many cannabis channels, often with little to no warning. Facebook cracked down on cannabis content two years ago, but YouTube has, until now, been accepting of cannabis-related videos. The timing is strange given the legalization of cannabis in most states as well as growing social acceptance. Some believe it may be due to YouTube’s inability to generate advertising revenue from cannabis content. Those who have been shut down have moved to private hosting, TheWeedTube.com, Instagram, Twitch, and Pornhub. Unfortunately, communication with YouTube to fight back against channel shutdowns has been very difficult. YouTube only gives appealers 500 characters, and it seems like bots are evaluating the appeals because they’re getting bounced back within minutes. Dylan Osborn, the founder of a recently shut down YouTube channel called Greenbox Grown stated: “It’s unfortunate they are not working with us on this issue. They are just shutting the door and that’s it.”
This is very unfortunate. As a heads up to anyone out there, from what I’ve heard if it’s informational, then they have less reason to shut it down. If there’s anything relating to the sale of product, or recommendations on how to grow along with any recommendation of where/how to purchase anything related, then they consider it “aiding in federally illicit conduct.”
I’d recommend you keep it informational. Hopefully others can benefit from this information. Also, get your own Vimeo channel.
I just want to add in and let everyone know that this is not a cannabis specific censorship. All google related services, including youtube, have greatly increased their censorship beginning in March. My understanding is that it started as a way to avoid fake news, but has been affecting many videos covering a variety of topics.
It is terrible that we have to deal with this, but I don’t think they are specifically targeting cannabis.
That site mentioned in the first post - The Weed Tube, seems to be growing fairly quickly. It was at around 3,000 members on April 29th, and is now at 5000. I just wish that they weren’t using BuddyPress as their platform - someone needs to build a better platform from scratch. I’m a developer myself, but I just don’t have the available time at the moment.
