YouTube just became a little less friendly to gun enthusiasts with a new change in their policy implemented this week. The platform, which already banned videos that linked to the selling of bump stocks and firearms, expanded their restrictions. The Verge explains the update:
Under the new restrictions, accessories that cannot be featured in videos that intend “to sell firearms or certain firearms accessories through direct sales” or “links to sites that sell these items” include those that enable a firearm to simulate automatic fire or convert a firearm to automatic fire (including bump stocks, gatling triggers, drop-in auto sears, and conversion kits), and high-capacity magazines. Videos can also no longer provide instructions on converting firearms to automatic or simulated automatic firing, manufacturing firearms, ammunition, silencers, and the aforementioned accessories. Lastly, videos cannot show users how to install these accessories.
This is a blow to people who’ve long used the videos on YouTube, which is the world’s most popular video sharing platform. Some people have already seen their videos deleted and their accounts suspended, Motherboard reports.
There are thousands of gun channels on YouTube. Some gun vloggers watched their videos disappear from YouTube on Tuesday night and they’re not happy about it. “Those [policies about firearms] are very new and causing some uproar in the communities,” Jörg Sprave—a YouTuber who makes videos about slingshot weapons and started a movement to unionize YouTubers—told Motherboard in and email. [...]
The new rules have already hit at least one popular channel. YouTube suspended the channel of Florida based gun manufacturer Spike’s Tactical for, “repeated or severe violations of our community guidelines,” according to an email sent from YouTube Spike’s Tactical posted to its Instagram and Facebook page.
One channel, called InRange TV, announced that they’re moving their content to PornHub.
I have a feeling they won’t have their entire audience follow them there.