The war against the Right is faltering. And this may be the nail in the coffin.
Now Google caved to Donald Trump in a massive about-face that left Democrats panicking.
Google Announces Reinstatement for Banned YouTube Accounts Amid Policy Reversal
Google committed on Tuesday to reinstating YouTube channels previously suspended for COVID-19 and election-related content, while revealing that the Biden administration exerted pressure to suppress certain videos. The disclosures appear in a legal document submitted to the House Judiciary Committee, obtained by Fox News Digital, signaling a notable pivot in Alphabet’s approach to content moderation.
This change prioritizes free expression and could restore access for thousands of users, including high-profile conservatives like FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, White House counterterrorism chief Sebastian Gorka, and “War Room” podcast host Steve Bannon, all removed in recent years over pandemic or voting integrity posts.
The document states, “Reflecting the Company’s commitment to free expression, YouTube will provide an opportunity for all creators to rejoin the platform if the company terminated their channels for repeated violations of COVID-19 and elections integrity policies that are no longer in effect.”
Google emphasized its appreciation for conservative perspectives, noting that such creators “have extensive reach and play an important role in civic discourse.” Bongino, for instance, lost his massive following in 2022 after YouTube cited mask misinformation; he later credited the ban with boosting his shift to Rumble, where he ended his radio show upon joining the administration this year. The reinstatement process will evaluate appeals individually, focusing on channels affected solely by the now-defunct rules.
Biden Administration’s Influence on Content Removal Exposed
The submission details how White House officials repeatedly urged Google to act against COVID-19 material, even when it aligned with platform guidelines. Google’s lawyer wrote, “Senior Biden Administration officials, including White House officials, conducted repeated and sustained outreach to Alphabet and pressed the Company regarding certain user-generated content related to the COVID-19 pandemic that did not violate its policies.”
The administration “created a political atmosphere that sought to influence the actions of platforms based on their concerns regarding misinformation,” the document continues.
While Google acted on some requests independently under its own standards, it has since dismantled those restrictions. A spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that the filing covers all relevant details, with no further updates. This admission builds on a multiyear Republican probe into tech firms’ handling of COVID-19, 2020 election, and Hunter Biden topics, where similar pressures were documented across platforms.
Broader Scrutiny of Censorship Tactics and EU Regulations
YouTube’s move echoes Meta’s 2024 decision to drop third-party fact-checkers, a step then-President Joe Biden labeled “really shameful.” YouTube, which never relied on external verifiers, pledged it “will not empower fact-checkers to take action on or label content.”
These shifts follow the Supreme Court’s handling of Murthy v. Missouri, where lower courts favored plaintiffs alleging government overreach in content suppression but the high court dismissed the case on standing grounds. One district judge had likened federal involvement to an “Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth.’” The ruling left unresolved whether such “jawboning”—government coaxing of private firms—violates the First Amendment, a concept revived after Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Authorities identified suspect Tyler Robinson as motivated by perceptions of Kirk’s hate speech, with antifascist engravings on bullets. Kimmel remarked on his show that the “MAGA gang” was deflecting blame, while expressing condolences to Kirk’s family and denouncing the violence.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr, in a podcast with Benny Johnson, called the comments “truly sick” and warned, “Frankly, when you see stuff like this, I mean, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.” ABC suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” indefinitely, with affiliate Sinclair Broadcast Group opting to replace it ongoing; the network reinstated the show Tuesday.
Google also voiced concerns to the committee about the European Union’s Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, agreeing they “place a disproportionate regulatory burden on American companies.” These measures have sparked U.S. bipartisan worries over extraterritorial effects on domestic users and heightened moderation demands. Google affirmed it will stay “vigilant” against foreign mandates that conflict with its operations.
