YouTube has banned Sky News Australia from its platform.
The publication will not be allowed to post any new content for a week because YouTube says it has violated its policy and has spread Covid-19 related false information.
First Strike Under Three Strike Policy
YouTube has issued a “strike” under its three strike policy. The last third strike means permanent removal of the channel.
YouTube did not specify any particular content from Sky News Australia but said it was trying to minimize videos that can “cause serious harm”.
The digital editor of the TV channel said the decision was a ferocious attack on the ability to think freely of the media.
What Did YouTube Say?
Sky News Australia is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp and has 1.85 million YouTube subscribers. This ban may also affect the revenue it generates from Google.
A YouTube statement said “it has clear and well-established Covid-19 medical policies based on the guidance of local and international health authorities”.
The videos in question “did not provide sufficient countervailing context”, a spokesperson of YouTube explained.
Controversy
Sky News Australia said it had found older videos that did not comply with YouTube’s policies and took on “its commitment to meeting the expectations of the community”.
But it has denied that any of its employees and videos have ever denied the grave nature of Covid-19.
Millions of Australians are currently under stay-at-home mandates in order to prevent the spread of Delta’s infectious varaint, while less than 15% of the population is completely vaccinated.
The comments of veteran Sky News Australia presenter Alan Jones have sparked a controversy in Australia.
In one 12 July broadcast with MP Craig Kelly, both men claimed Delta was not as dangerous as the original and vaccines would not help.
