In a development that has raised concerns about free speech, YouTube has suspended the account of popular conservative commentator and podcaster Candace Owens.
Owens, who is known for her blunt commentary on a variety of issues, including the COVID pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement and transgenderism, announced the suspension on her Instagram page on Sunday.
She revealed that YouTube imposed a temporary ban on her channel “Candace,” citing violations of their policies regarding hateful and derogatory content. The violations, the streaming platform claims, resulted from videos in which she addressed topics related to transgenderism.
However, Owens finds the claims “interesting” as she pointed out that the videos flagged are those in which she referred to trans-identifying people by their biological gender as opposed to their self-identification. According to her, the strikes that led to her temporary ban are a result of her “correctly gendering someone.”
Revealing that her suspension could last a week or two, Owens expressed her frustration with YouTube’s “intentionally opaque” policies that resulted in multiple strikes against her account.
According to the commentator, the suspension of her channel is part of a broader crackdown on conservative voices who do not conform to “globally sanctioned lies.” But to her, that only highlights the urgent need to protect free speech as she believes in the eventual vindication of truth-tellers.
“Just as with the previous globally-sanctioned lies, I will in no way submit to it. Like in the previous globally-perpetuated circumstances, me and those who stand against it will be maimed and caricatured in the media. And then just like in those previous circumstances, the few of us with the courage to stand against the tides of pop-fiction will be vindicated,” she tweeted.
‼️It’s true, my YouTube account has been suspended and here is what I have to say:
We don’t know exactly what or who is the driving force behind globally-sanctioned lies, but what we do know is that over the past five years, the prevailing lies of the day have shifted… https://t.co/1TqAyM717O
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 11, 2023
As she summarized her concerns about her suspension, she promised her followers more updates in the coming week. Undeterred by the suspension, she vowed to continue sharing her videos on Twitter, where she believes there is more room for open debate and “true speech” since Elon Musk’s take over.
Owens also asked listeners to subscribe to her YouTube channel in droves, stating that a surge in followers during her suspension would send a powerful message to the platform.
Owens is not the only victim of YouTube’s biased policies. The Daily Wire, the media outlet she is associated with, said that other creators, including Ben Shapiro and Matt Walsh, also faced penalties for speaking out against transgenderism, particularly in relation to minors undergoing irreversible treatments and procedures.
