Russell Model has been prevented from making money on YouTube for violating its creator responsibility policy.
The motion comes following a joint investigation by The Sunday Occasions, The Occasions and Channel 4’s Dispatches, which reported sexual assault allegations from 4 ladies towards the comic and content material creator.
According to the BBC, YouTube says it is blocking advert income for Model as a method to “to guard” its customers. “If a creator’s off-platform behaviour harms our customers, workers or ecosystem, we take motion,” a YouTube spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Past Model’s essential YouTube channel, with 6.6 million YouTube subscribers, the Google-owned firm mentioned its choice “applies to all channels which may be owned or operated by Russell Model,” which embody Keep Free With Russell Model, Awakening With Russell, and Soccer Is Good, which have over 468,000 subscribers between them.
Mashable reached out to YouTube for additional remark. YouTube responded by confirming that Model is suspended from the YouTube Associate Program. A spokesperson mentioned, “Our Creator Accountability Pointers are clear that if a creator’s off-platform behaviour harms our customers, workers, or ecosystem, we could take motion to guard our group, together with by suspending monetisation. Whereas these behaviours are uncommon, they’ll trigger widespread hurt to the YouTube group, and doubtlessly injury the belief amongst creators, customers, and advertisers.”
They added that that is line with how the corporate has handled sure conditions previously, noting the non permanent demonetization of David Dobrik and James Charles’ respective accounts (each of which have since made comebacks on the platform). YouTube says that creators who’re suspended from monetization “are prohibited from utilizing a brand new or alternate channel to avoid our enforcement choice.”
The comic’s ongoing Bipolarisation tour has additionally been postponed within the wake of the allegations.
Model pivoted to a career in online wellness and influencing across the time of the pandemic, garnering hundreds of thousands of subscribers within the course of. His content material ranged from spirituality and wellness to conspiracy theories, anti-establishment messaging and interviews with the likes of Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan. In Sept. 2021, for instance, he shared data on learn how to keep away from COVID-19 security measures and was accused of anti-vaxx messaging and misinformation.
Model nonetheless has a presence on Rumble, an “different” video platform that has grow to be standard with right-wing conservatives and conspiracy theorists.
On Friday night time, previous to the Occasions‘ publication of the investigation, Model took to Rumble and X posting a video to say that “very, very severe legal allegations” had been about to be made towards him. Brand has denied all allegations.
UPDATE: Sep. 19, 2023, 11:59 a.m. EDT Included remark from YouTube.