YouTube's 'second chance': Controversial banned creators have new path to return

YouTube's most infamous figures will soon be reappearing to subscribers.

The company has officially launched a pilot program designed to streamline the reinstatement of previously banned creators, following a public announcement that the platform felt it was pressured by the Biden administration to remove accounts that were actively spreading COVID-19 misinformation. YouTube's decision came following an investigation by the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee into the site's moderation practices, specifically the removal of known conservative figures.

For now, the company says the pilot program will specifically apply to a select group of "qualified creators," who will begin to see an option to apply for a new channel when they log into their YouTube Studio account. YouTube explained that neither old subscriber lists nor previous content will be carried over to new channels, and at least a year must have passed since their channel was terminated.

In selecting which banned creators qualify for reinstatement, YouTube says it considered "whether the creator committed particularly severe or persistent violations of our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service, or whether the creator’s on- or off-platform activity harmed or may continue to harm the YouTube community." Channels that had copyright infringement violations will not be eligible.

Currently, creators can appeal bans for up to one year. However, the company explains, most bans are upheld after review. "We know that our long-held approach of enforcing lifetime terminations can be difficult for creators. We’ve heard loud and clear from our creator community that they want more options to return to YouTube," the company wrote in a blog post. If creators are approved to return, they must then apply for monetization separately.

According to the company, more than 3 million creators are part of YouTube's monetized creator program, raking in around $100 billion over the last four years. The platform has loosened some of its monetization policies over the last several years, as well, including ones that demoted creators who use profanity. Simultaneously, YouTube has tried to crack down on accounts that post AI-generated videos en masse, many of which spread harmful misinformation.

Researchers have found that YouTube's more controversial pages — including those that spread misinformation and conspiracies on public health, climate change, and the electoral process — are making big bucks from subscriber ad revenue. A 2024 report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate, for example, found that popular climate change denialists make around $13 million per year. Popular right-wing YouTubers and their high-dollar accounts have also played a key role in recent political swings and the radicalization of young male viewers, analysts have found. Many, including those who were previously banned and will participate in YouTube's reinstatement pilot, now hold key roles in the Trump administration.