Disinformation or Censorship – Google Deletes 11,000 YouTube Channels

A Massive Purge in the Name of “Disinformation”

Google recently announced it has removed nearly 11,000 YouTube channels that it says were connected to government-backed influence operations from China, Russia, and several other nations. According to a July 21 press release by Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG), these deletions were part of a continued effort to fight what Google calls “coordinated influence campaigns.”

More than 7,700 of the removed assets were linked to China. The content on these channels often promoted the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in both English and Chinese. Many of the videos also discussed U.S. foreign policy, sometimes presenting favorable views of China’s position in global affairs.

In addition to Chinese-linked channels, Google removed over 2,000 YouTube channels connected to Russia or Russian-controlled media. These channels often shared content supportive of Russia and critical of Ukraine, NATO, and the West. In May alone, Google deleted 20 channels, four ad accounts, and one blog tied to Russian state outlet RT.

Other accounts were linked to countries such as Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Israel, Romania, and Ghana. Many of these were accused of promoting their own governments and attacking rivals or critics.

“We aim to improve content quality and user experience,” said Johannes Müller, Google’s search relations lead, in a separate statement. He claimed that Google’s decisions were “not targeted” but based on global technical standards. However, this sweeping removal of voices—many of which were speaking in English and aimed at global audiences—raises bigger questions about who decides what information is acceptable and what should be erased.

Google certainly seems satisfied with its efforts, but are they on track? In addition to obvious disinformation, are they censoring legitimate work from the wide variety of opinions that exist in the U.S.? How would a liberal-biased and massively self-interested Google know the difference?

The Problem of Propaganda vs. Free Speech

No one disputes that foreign governments attempt to influence public opinion. But removing massive amounts of content, especially from major global platforms like YouTube, comes with serious consequences. When Google deletes these channels, it does so without public trials, oversight, or any real opportunity for users to challenge the decisions.

Google has argued these are “coordinated inauthentic networks” and should not be treated like ordinary content. In April alone, the company removed 1,545 YouTube channels linked to China, saying they were uploading “content in Chinese and English about China and US foreign affairs.”

But critics say that just calling something “inauthentic” does not mean it should be silenced. In a free society, even offensive or biased views should be met with debate – not deletion.

David Peterson, general manager at Proton VPN, warned about this trend, saying, “Tech companies are now the gatekeepers of our digital freedom – and with such power comes the responsibility to protect free speech and combat censorship.”

A Record of Bias and Political Targeting

This is not the first time Google has been accused of acting more like a political actor than a neutral platform. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey recently launched an investigation into Google for allegedly censoring conservative viewpoints during a critical election year.

“I am launching an investigation into Google—the biggest search engine in America—for censoring conservative speech during the most consequential election in our nation’s history,” Bailey wrote on social media.

Google denied the accusation, calling the claims “totally false.” A company spokesperson said, “Search serves all our users, and our business rests on showing useful information to everyone – no matter what their political beliefs are.”

Still, stories keep piling up. In early 2025, Google rolled out algorithm changes that severely reduced visibility for independent news outlets in Turkey, especially those critical of President Erdogan’s government. Outlets like T24 and Medyascope saw traffic drop by up to 80 percent. During a tense session in the Turkish Parliament, lawmakers accused Google of “a veiled form of censorship.”

Opposition lawmaker Murat Emir declared, “We are witnessing the coordinated suffocation of Turkey’s democratic voices. This is not just algorithmic suppression, it is digital authoritarianism.”

Even prominent exiled journalists, like Adem Yavuz Arslan and Bülent Korucu, reported that their channels had been delisted or hidden, despite no violations of YouTube’s guidelines.

Biased Moderation Policies

Google’s actions have also been criticized for showing clear political and cultural bias. In 2025, multiple femtech companies filed complaints to European regulators, accusing Google, Meta, and others of removing or rejecting content related to women’s health while freely allowing ads about male sexual health.

“We have evidence [of] multiple cases where medically accurate, expert-led content has been blocked or labeled as ‘adult content’ or ‘political’,” said Clio Wood and Anna O’Sullivan, founders of CensHERship.

In one case, a breastfeeding support app had its ad removed by Google for showing a baby nursing, while ads for erectile dysfunction supplements continued to run without issue.

One banned ad for a women’s libido supplement stated, “Finally, a natural libido supplement… Perfect for menopause.” Meanwhile, a men’s ad said, “We’ve helped over 500,000 men overcome erection issues… Almost like I was 18 again.”

Cristina Ljungberg of the investment group The Case For Her said this bias harms women’s health and limits innovation. “When femtech companies face digital suppression and censorship by the big tech platforms, they struggle to reach customers, limiting their ability to advertise and generate revenue.”

Big Tech’s Real Motivation?

Despite their public statements about fighting disinformation, many believe Google’s real motivation is protecting its own reputation and avoiding trouble with governments. Complying with takedown orders allows the company to stay in good standing, even with authoritarian regimes.

In fact, Google was among the first global tech companies to comply with Turkey’s controversial 2021 law giving the government more power to regulate online speech. Gönenç Gürkaynak, a lawyer representing Google in Turkey, even bragged in Parliament, “I can proudly say that [Google] was one of the first companies to [comply with the new law].”

That cooperation raises questions about whether Google is more interested in protecting its business relationships than protecting free speech. It also shows how easily the tools used to silence foreign governments can be turned on regular people—including those trying to speak truth to power.

A Dangerous Precedent

As Google continues to expand its control over what people can see, hear, and say online, critics argue that the company’s actions are becoming a serious threat to open debate.

“The alignment of tech platforms with authoritarian demands is alarming,” said one media rights expert. “Algorithms should not become the new censorship apparatus.”

Google insists that its actions are neutral and based on quality standards. But those claims are growing harder to believe as more evidence surfaces of bias, inconsistency, and hidden political influence.

In the end, the question is simple: Who gets to decide what you are allowed to see?

Because if the answer is Google, then free speech is no longer a right. It’s a privilege – granted or denied by an unelected committee inside a tech company headquarters. And that should concern everyone.

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