The Great YouTube Crypto Purge
On December 23, chaos erupted for thousands of YouTube creators as they opened their inboxes to find the dreaded notification: their crypto-related videos had vanished from the platform. From seasoned content creators with massive followings to small channels barely scraping by, the impact was felt across the board. After about four days of social media turmoil, YouTube cautiously began reinstating deleted videos, but the damage had been done.
Decentralized Video Platforms: The New Frontier
With a major video platform so quick to pull the rug out from under them, many of these creators have turned their attentions towards decentralized platforms. The CEO of LBRY, Jeremy Kauffman, revealed a staggering 100% increase in access to their platform in the wake of YouTube’s ban. LBRY, founded in 2016, champions a peer-to-peer approach for sharing content, ensuring creators have safer spaces to showcase their work.
Open Source Values
Kauffman emphasized the core values of free speech and personal choice that LBRY embodies. He said, “LBRY reflects all of those values.” Unlike YouTube’s strict content policies, LBRY aims to emulate more fundamental protocols like HTTP—focusing less on censorship and more on creator autonomy.
Other Decentralized Options Rising
But LBRY is not standing alone; platforms like Steemit and DTube are also catching the attention of former YouTubers. Steemit, a blogging site that rewards users with cryptocurrency for posting content, has over a million registered users. DTube even mirrors the YouTube experience, but without a central server to control content, making it tamper-proof.
What YouTubers are Saying
In a candid moment, YouTuber Omar Bham sang the praises of LBRY, stating, “The syncing process is simple… I don’t need to worry about YouTube one day removing all my videos permanently.” Of course, there’s always a catch—speed. Kauffman admitted that like many blockchain platforms, LBRY is working to tackle speed challenges to improve user experience.
Is YouTube Truly Concerned?
Susan Wojcicki, YouTube’s chief executive, has described her most recent priorities for the platform, stating that responsibility comes first. However, how “responsible” can YouTube be when it’s deleted over 100,000 videos just this year alone? Content that isn’t considered in compliance with their shifting policies has been disproportionately targeted, and cryptocurrency topics appear to be in the crosshairs.
Legalities and Creator Rights
As for the legality of YouTube removing content on a whim without any heads-up? Roger Royse, a knowledgeable figure in this realm, weighed in: it all hinges on the platform’s terms of service. Just because something is legal doesn’t make it ethical, and Royse argues that the line between commercially viable content and educational content is thin at best. After all, informational videos providing insight into cryptocurrency aren’t exactly dangerous or harmful.
