YouTube extends Trump suspension, slaps new restrictions on Giuliani

Cristiano Lima

Video sharing giant YouTube extended its suspension of former President Donald Trump’s channel indefinitely on Tuesday and restricted Trump adviser Rudy Giuliani’s ability to make money off the platform.

The latest clampdowns: The Google-owned company announced that for the second time in two weeks, it would extend restrictions that block Trump from posting on the platform. The company initially blocked him on Jan. 12 amid fears of additional violence in the wake of the insurrection at the Capitol by Trump’s supporters.

YouTube initially said it was giving Trump his first of three strikes before it would permanently ban him from the site under its content policies, suspending him for a minimum of one week. It extended that suspension last Tuesday for at least another week. But the company offered no timetable for the latest extension, making his suspension effectively indefinite.

“In light of concerns about the ongoing potential for violence, the Donald J. Trump channel will remain suspended,” YouTube said in a statement. “Our teams are staying vigilant and closely monitoring for any new developments.”

YouTube separately said it will temporarily bar Giuliani from participating in a program that allows him to make money off his channel. The company did not say what specific action prompted the enforcement decision, but a spokesperson pointed to its rules against false claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 elections.

The impact: Trump has now been permanently booted off Twitter, his signature platform, and faces indefinite suspensions from both Facebook and YouTube, cutting him off from three of the most potent means for communication online.

The action against Giuliani temporarily cuts off a prominent revenue stream for the former president’s personal lawyer.

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