YouTube wipes out thousands of propaganda channels linked to China, Russia, others - CNBC

YouTube wipes out thousands of propaganda channels linked to China, Russia, others - CNBC

In a significant move to combat global disinformation campaigns, Google removed nearly 11,000 YouTube channels and other accounts tied to state-linked propaganda efforts from China, Russia, and several other countries in the second quarter of 2025. This action, part of the Google Threat Analysis Group's ongoing efforts to counter coordinated influence operations, reflects the tech giant's commitment to maintaining a safe and trustworthy digital environment.

The takedown included more than 7,700 YouTube channels linked to China, which primarily shared content in Chinese and English promoting the People's Republic of China, supporting President Xi Jinping, and commenting on U.S. foreign affairs. Over 2,000 removed channels were linked to Russia, with content in multiple languages supporting Russia and criticizing Ukraine, NATO, and the West.

The removal of these accounts is part of a broader trend, with Google taking down more than 23,000 accounts in the first quarter alone. Additionally, the tech giant has targeted influence campaigns from Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Israel, Romania, and Ghana, which were found to be targeting political rivals. Some of these campaigns were centered on growing geopolitical conflicts, such as the narratives on both sides of the Israel-Palestine War.

This wave of account removals follows Google's earlier actions against RT, the Russian state-controlled media outlet, which was accused of paying prominent conservative influencers for social media content ahead of the 2024 election. In May, Google removed 20 YouTube channels, 4 Ads accounts, and 1 Blogger blog linked to RT.

Meta, another major tech company, has also been actively combating disinformation, removing about 10 million profiles for impersonating large content producers through the first half of 2025.

These actions highlight the ongoing efforts by major tech companies to mitigate the spread of propaganda and misinformation, a critical concern for investors and financial professionals who rely on accurate and reliable information for decision-making.

References:
[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/21/youtube-channels-propaganda-china-russia.html