YouTube Dials Up Its Attacks on RFK Jr.
Jose Nino
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YouTube recently took down another interview with Democratic Presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr., which has brought back discussion about Big Tech’s role in shaping public opinion through censorship. The interview was with Al Guart, a former New York Post reporter. It was removed for its alleged breach of YouTube’s “community standards.”
This has further ignited concerns over censorship and its potential ramifications on political discourse in the US.
The episode saw Kennedy talk about a host of subjects that ranged from his meditation routine to his concerns about the health of the American middle class.
Al Guart was disappointed about the interview’s removal, which he expressed in a statement, noting, “YouTube just banned my interview with RFK Jr. for allegedly violating ‘community standards.’ RFK Jr. and I covered many topics of public interest and there was no threat or harm contained in the hour-long discussion.” In addition, Guart noted that the podcast was gaining momentum and popularity on other platforms.
Throughout the interview, Kennedy made notable comments regarding censorship. He stated that, if he made it to the White House, he would put pressure on tech giants to find ways to abolish what he believes is the un-American practice of censorship. He went on to say that if insufficient action was taken, he would consider using state power to turn these companies into common carriers.
Kennedy has previously faced censorship on YouTube for violating its vaccine “misinformation” policy. He manifested his concerns over YouTube’s removal of the video. He likened this move to concerns about foreign intervention in elections through the manipulation of information, declaring, “People made a big deal about Russia supposedly manipulating internet information to influence a Presidential election. Shouldn’t we be worried when giant tech corporations do the same?”
Kennedy is raising valid questions about YouTube’s censorship policies. A private platform that large should not be allowed to operate with such a broad degree of impunity with respect to civil liberties such as free speech.
At the end of the day, if Big Tech can’t behave accordingly, it must be subjected to rational state power that undermines its ability to infringe on our god-given rights.
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