Staff Reports
Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a Democratic presidential candidate, has taken legal action against Google and YouTube for what he claims is a violation of his right to free speech. According to Kennedy, he was the first person to be censored by President Biden, and he fears that the censorship will continue leading up to the primary elections. In his lawsuit, Kennedy argues that YouTube, often referred to as a “digital town square,” does not have the legal authority to censor his speech.
This is not the first time Kennedy has faced censorship by YouTube. Earlier this month, one of his videos was removed from the platform, and his interview with Jordan Peterson was also censored. Kennedy took to Twitter to express his frustration, saying, “YouTube just pulled another of my videos.” The platform cited its “vaccine policies” as the reason for the removal of the interview, claiming that Kennedy’s statements about chemicals in water causing gender dysphoria were misinformation.
Kennedy questions the actions of large tech corporations like YouTube, comparing them to the alleged Russian manipulation of internet information during the 2016 presidential election. He argues that if we were concerned about foreign interference, we should also be worried about tech giants silencing certain voices.
RFK Jr Files Lawsuit against YouTube, Google for Violating His Free Speech https://t.co/V9ZrN0eTtk
— 🇺🇸🇺🇸Josh Dunlap🇺🇲🇺🇲 ULTRA-MAGA (@JDunlap1974) August 4, 2023
In his lawsuit, Kennedy highlights the government’s role in YouTube’s censorship. The platform claims to remove content that contradicts information from local health authorities and the World Health Organization. Kennedy asserts that YouTube relies on the government to determine what information should be censored, effectively giving the government control over the platform’s content.
Kennedy’s complaint also addresses the impact of YouTube’s censorship on his campaign. He argues that by suppressing his message, YouTube is preventing him from reaching millions of voters. Additionally, it hampers the efforts of groups supporting his campaign to share his message through public sources.
Google, YouTube’s parent company, denies Kennedy’s allegations, stating that the censorship claims are baseless. They maintain that their Community Guidelines are applied impartially, regardless of political viewpoint.
