YouTube disables channels on Hong Kong, following Twitter’s lead

Earlier this week we noted how Twitter and Facebook banned Beijing bots. Yesterday, YouTube followed suit, disabling 210 channels. Here’s Google’s announcement:

Earlier this week, as part of our ongoing efforts to combat coordinated influence operations, we disabled 210 channels on YouTube when we discovered channels in this network behaved in a coordinated manner while uploading videos related to the ongoing protests in Hong Kong. This discovery was consistent with recent observations and actions related to China announced by Facebook and Twitter.

Twitter is still the leading platform when it comes to cracking down on misinformation about Hong Kong: Facebook said it was tipped off on a coordinated state-backed campaign by Twitter, and no other company has yet followed Twitter’s lead in banning state-owned media companies from buying ads.

Twitter and Facebook ban accounts pushing disinformation from Beijing

Other reports on propaganda on Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter:

• YouTube pressured to ban Chinese state media ads that spread misinformation about protesters / The Verge
• Twitter helps Beijing push agenda abroad despite ban in China / Bloomberg (porous paywall)
• China paid Facebook and Twitter to help sow anti-Muslim misinformation / Vox