YouTube cracks down on QAnon and Pizzagate conspiracy theories

YouTube will ban videos related to the fringe conspiracy-focused online community QAnon if they incite real-world violence

YouTube is cracking down on "harmful" conspiracy theories like QAnon and Pizzagate, the latest Silicon Valley giant to do so amid fears digital aggression will spill into real-world violence.  

The video streaming website said it has already removed tens of thousands of QAnon videos and terminated channels that use the far-right movement, which claims President Donald Trump is fighting a cabal of Democratic Satantist paedophiles, to justify assaults on individuals. 

The FBI has deemed QAnon, supporters of which believe they are receiving communications from a government insider known only as “Q”, as a domestic terrorist threat. 

Thursday’s announcement falls short of a full ban, with YouTube removing only videos linked to the cult-like community which seek to target or harass others.

A spokesman said: “We’re further expanding both our hate and harassment policies to prohibit content that targets an individual or group with conspiracy theories that have been used to justify real-world violence.

"One example would be content that threatens or harrasses someone by suggesting they are complicit in  one of these harmful conspiracies, such as QAnon or Pizzagate. As always, context matters, so news coverage on these issues or content discussing them without targeting individuals or protected groups may stay up.”

YouTube, which is watched by two billion people every day, is the latest technology company to restrict QAnon, following Facebook and Twitter. YouTube’s parent company, Google, began blocking QAnon merchandise in August. 

Silicon Valley appears to be taking a tougher stance ahead of the US election after allowing disinformation to run rampant across their platforms in 2016. Then a Pizzagate conspiracy theory, which claimed that high-ranking democratic officials were involved in a child trafficking ring centred at the Comet Ping Pong pizza restaurant in Washington DC resulted in Edgar Maddison Welch firing an assault rifle in the restaurant in broad daylight, believing he was saving children trapped in a sex slave ring. The 29-year-old was later sentenced to four years in prison. 

There are concerns that disinformation shared in QAnon groups and repeated — and debunked — Pizzagate theories may impact voter’s opinions ahead of November 3. At least 44 US election candidates have been linked to QAnon, according to Newsweek.