Google-owned video streaming platform YouTube has demonetized Russell Brand while acknowledging that the British comedian has not violated any of the platform’s policies.
The move comes amid a media smear campaign against Brand.
Over the weekend, several media outlets coordinated to drop reports containing allegations from multiple women that Brand sexually assaulted them more than a decade ago.
And while Brand has not been charged or convicted of any crime, YouTube announced Tuesday that it had suspended monetization for Brand’s channel, citing his alleged “off-platform behavior.”
According to the streaming company, Brand violated YouTube’s policy by simply being accused of a crime.
The site’s decision prevents Brand from earning revenue that comes from advertisements embedded in YouTube videos.
The ads are the main way content creators make money on the platform.
Brand has a large following on the platform, with more than 6 million subscribers.
Most of Brand’s videos consist of critiquing government and corporate power structures, bias in the media, and encouraging users to embrace critical thinking when it comes to mainstream news stories.
They routinely earn millions of views, often more than the corporate media outlets he’s calling out.
Forbes reported on Tuesday that YouTube’s decision to