(LifeSiteNews) – YouTube apparently changed its COVID-19 “misinformation” policies earlier this year to allow users to question the effectiveness of masks against the disease.
In a recent tweet, conservative commentator Tim Poole posted two screenshots from the online Wayback Machine showing two images of YouTube’s COVID “misinformation” policy, one taken on April 13 of this year, the next from May 31.
Youtube updated its policies to no longer ban claims that masks do not play a role in preventing spread of COVID
Essentially, you are now allowed to claim masks don’t work pic.twitter.com/SI3wF9jov8
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) August 23, 2022
The screenshot from April states that “Claims that masks do not play a role in preventing the contraction or transmission of COVID-19,” and claims that the masks cause physical and psychological harm, will cause a post to be taken down, and a channel that breaks the platforms policy thrice in a 90 day period will be permanently banned.
The platform’s “misinformation” policy for May does not mention policies with regard to masks and their effectiveness and shows the two bullet points relating to masks have been removed. There is still no mention of masks in the policy at the time of writing.
Poole, commenting on the apparent change, tweeted that “Youtube updated its policies to no longer ban claims that masks do not play a role in preventing spread of COVID.” “Essentially, you are now allowed to claim masks don’t work,” Poole concluded.
Reacting to the screenshots, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Professor at Stanford School of Medicine, tweeted “In March 2021, @YouTube banned a video of me telling @GovRonDeSantis that there was no high quality evidence that force masking children protects anyone from covid. Shame on YouTube for censoring to support CDC propaganda. The Science(tm) changed, but the science didn’t.”
In March 2021, @YouTube banned a video of me telling @GovRonDeSantis that there was no high quality evidence that force masking children protects anyone from covid. Shame on YouTube for censoring to support CDC propaganda. The Science(tm) changed, but the science didn’t. https://t.co/QWGtnbHM1T
— Jay Bhattacharya (@DrJBhattacharya) August 23, 2022
Brandon Tatum, a YouTuber and former police officer, reacted by tweeting “Smh. I got a strike over this.”
Smh. I got a strike over this https://t.co/2CDYOiltXM
— Brandon Tatum (@TheOfficerTatum) August 23, 2022
YouTube has a history of banning users and videos for even questioning the effectiveness of masks and the mainstream COVID narrative and highlighting the damage caused by masks.
In January, YouTube suspended and demonetized the account of conservative commentator Dan Bongino after he said masks were not effective at stopping the spread of COVID. Bongino subsequently moved to Rumble, a less censorious video platfom.
Last August, YouTube suspended the account of Senator Rand Paul for posting a video of an interview he did in which he questioned the effectiveness of masks to stop the spread of COVID-19. Paul subsequently stated that he would stop posting on YouTube, calling it the end of a “toxic relationship.”
In February 2021, YouTube also banned LifeSiteNews from the platform for allegedly violating its COVID “misinformation” policies.
Multiple studies have shown that masks are ineffective at stopping the spread of COVID-19, and cause harm if worn for prolonged periods of time, as LifeSite previously reported. Further, studies have shown that prolonged use of masks can cause developmental and psychological harm in children, including delayed language development in babies.
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