On Christmas Eve 2019, YouTube hit many of the leading channels in the cryptocurrency space with strikes and removed content from their channels.
While YouTube did later admit this was a mistake, restore most of the videos, and remove the channel strikes, this mass cryptocurrency purge left many creators in the space uncertain whether crypto content had a future on YouTube.
Since this initial purge, other YouTubers who cover cryptocurrency have had similar issues with their channels and been hit with strikes, content removal, and in some cases, complete channel deletion.
And now Tone Vays, a popular cryptocurrency channel in the space with over 91,300 subscribers and no previous strikes or warnings on the channel until today, has been suddenly banned by YouTube.
Like with many of the previous cryptocurrency purges, YouTube struck down one of his videos, claiming that it contained “harmful and dangerous content,” before removing his entire channel shortly after this initial strike.
BANNED by @Youtube ?. This Morning's Video was removed for being "Harmful & Dangerous Content". Hope @TeamYouTube can take a look as this has happened to me in the past & these videos were found to be compliant :(. Almost 100K subs. @ytcreators https://t.co/qRBQGzfO7e pic.twitter.com/xbZngkoyBx
I highly doubt any review by @TeamYouTube took place as the @YouTube channel got taken down an hour after the initial warning and 30 minutes after my appeal. But if this it for my @ytcreators channel, then it is what it is, was fun while it lasted ? pic.twitter.com/fP5QdTMZob
The deletion of the channel, which Tone Vays started in August 2016, means that almost four years of content is gone.
Tone Vays is also unable to communicate with the 91,300+ subscribers that he's built up over those four years.
Several top cryptocurrency creators slammed YouTube for deleting the channel and described it as “madness” and “unacceptable.”
TONE VAYS CHANNEL DELETED
THIS IS MADNESS!!
We need to act fast nowRetweet to get attention on this, Tone has amazing content, retweet his tweet!! https://t.co/XoJwFKdPWA
BREAKING: YouTube JUST DELETED @ToneVays from YouTube! His channel with over 100,000 subs is now TERMINATED, GONE!
This is unacceptable @TeamYouTube!! When will this stop?
RETWEET & LIKE to support Tone to get his channel back!
WOW!!! THE YOUTUBE PURGE CONTINUES!!!@ToneVays Channel got DELETED!!!
He has more than 100‘000 Subscribers! YEARS & YEARS of work!!! – no warning, just TERMINATION!!!!
Censorship is NOT why we are in #Bitcoin!@TeamYouTube: DO SOMETHING AGAINST IT!
LIKE & RETWEET ?
Ivan on Tech also urged other crypto YouTubers to follow in his footsteps and be independent because “crypto is not welcome on YouTube.”
Unfortunately, this will NEVER STOP!!
Crypto is not welcome on YouTube, all our days are probably numbered…
After 10 strikes I'm only streaming on https://t.co/Y80pnp01U4
Built our own system for superchat and chat
We have to be independent, our community deserves that!! https://t.co/BbW2PoHgb6
it's absolutely insane that we drive the traffic, we create interesting content but youtube keeps all emails, all contact info and all connection with the audience
But people are waking up, the more crazy deletions like this we see the more creators will self-host
Ivan announced last month that he would be ending YouTube streaming and instead streaming on his own platform because of the constant problems he's experienced with YouTube.
