YouTube’s Efforts to Remove Controversial Kanye “Ye” West Interview Clips from Alex Jones’ Infowars Show
In a shocking appearance on Thursday, December 1, on the far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ show, Kanye “Ye” West caused a stir by praising Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime. “Every individual has something valuable to bring to the table, especially Hitler,” the rapper stated. “And what about that?”
Later that day, Ye found himself suspended from Twitter once again, this time after posting an image of a swastika combined with a Star of David.
NBC News reported on Saturday, December 3, that YouTube’s parent company, Google, is actively “working to remove re-uploaded videos if the anti-Semitic content from the interview is not disputed in the video via additional commentary,” according to a statement from the tech giant.
The article also highlights that other social media platforms like Twitter have yet to clarify how they intend to address the issue.
In a statement to Billboard, YouTube’s spokesperson, Jack Malon, wrote: “Alex Jones’ channel was terminated from YouTube in 2018, and in accordance with our content control policies, we will be removing third-party reuploads of his recent interview with Kanye West.”
He added, “We may allow some of this content to remain on the platform, but only in cases where there is a condemnation of hateful views that could violate our Community Guidelines.”
Billboard reached out to Jones’ representative for comment, but no response was provided at the time of writing.
Ye has been on a month-long media tour and has continually made derogatory comments targeting the Jewish community. This led to a swift downfall of his once-formidable music and fashion empire, with a rapid public backlash and several companies, including The Gap, Balenciaga, and Adidas, severing ties and brand partnerships with the rapper.
Ye has also announced in recent weeks his intention to run for President in 2024.