YouTube is facing backlash for its decision to remove advertising from a vlogger’s video about fundraising for the victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting.
YouTube, owned by Google, pulled the ad revenue from Casey Neistat’s video which called on his followers to donate to a fund for the victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting.
Neistat’s video announced the launch of his GoFundMe page on October 2. In the video, which has amassed over 1.3 million views, Neistat said he would also donate all advertising revenue generated by the video to the victims.
The campaign raised over $ 250,000 in two days, and has currently amassed more than $ 287,000 in donations.
On October 5, Neistat received a message from YouTube informing him that his video was “not suitable for most advertisers,” meaning he won’t receive any revenue from the video.
Neistat’s tweet prompted backlash across Twitter as people accused YouTube of making a mistake by targeting the fundraising video.
People pointed to other videos, including Jimmy Kimmel’s tearful segment on the shooting, which still had ads playing on them. The Kimmel video no longer shows ads.
Is it possible to move to another platform? Getting mighty annoyed with YouTube, but have to use it, as it is where all you creators are.
— Sonny Sandberg (@SonnySandberg) October 6, 2017
Time for someone to create a similar platform that does allow freedom of speech
— Heather Parker (@hfaery) October 6, 2017
Oh really? pic.twitter.com/2RZgiSfoX2
— iDuskk (@iDuskk) October 6, 2017
@TeamYouTube = a platform that no longer listens to the creators or the viewers might just watch @Twitch from now on.
— Cal (@cal_ladd) October 6, 2017
YouTube responded to his tweet, writing, “We [love] what you’re doing to help, but no matter the intent, our policy is not to run ads on videos about tragedies.”
We ❤️ what you’re doing to help, but no matter the intent, our policy is to not run ads on videos about tragedies.
— Team YouTube (@TeamYouTube) October 5, 2017
3 hours later – ads still running on that vid.
Boy, that ad bot sure takes it’s sweet time, huh? 🙃 pic.twitter.com/BLkGfsulb4— BrettSpookimus (@BrettUltimus) October 6, 2017
my video was not about the tragedy. It was about a fundraiser.. that’s more than semantics.
— Casey Neistat (@CaseyNeistat) October 6, 2017
Neistat responded, saying the video was about a fundraiser and not a tragedy.
This is the latest headache for YouTube and its advertising policies. In August, the company was criticized when its attempts to remove extremist content resulted in the company’s algorithm removing videos from journalists and conflict monitors.
READ MORE: YouTube’s ‘extremist-tackling’ technology misses mark by removing wrong content
