YouTube confirmed it is shutting down five right-wing political channels believed to be connected to the Justice Department’s Russia-linked US media indictments this week. The platform shut down the channel of Tenet Media, which CNN reported is the unnamed company involved in the indictment.
The DOJ accused Russian operatives of paying the media organization to spread misinformation to influence the 2024 US elections. A YouTube spokesperson confirmed the takedowns and provided a statement to Engadget. “Following the US Department of Justice’s indictment and after careful review, we are shutting down the Tenet Media channel and four channels operated by its owner Lauren Chen as part of our ongoing efforts to combat coordinated influence operations,” the company’s statement said.
According to YouTube, the situation remains under investigation, and the company will evaluate whether further action is needed as new information emerges. The company says it shut down more than 4,000 YouTube channels in Q2 2024 as part of its investigation into Russia-linked influence operations.
YouTube works with Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) to identify bad actors and remove their channels and accounts accordingly. YouTube confirmed it shut down five right-wing political channels believed to be connected to the Justice Department’s Russia-linked US media indictments this week. The platform shut down the channel of Tenet Media, which CNN reported is the unnamed company named in the indictment.
The DOJ accused Russian operatives of paying the media organization to spread misinformation to influence the 2024 US elections. A YouTube spokesperson confirmed the takedowns and provided a statement to Engadget.
“Following the US Department of Justice’s indictment and after careful review, we are shutting down the Tenet Media channel and four channels operated by its owner Lauren Chen as part of our ongoing efforts to combat coordinated influence operations,” the company’s statement said.
According to YouTube, the situation remains under investigation and the company will evaluate whether further action is needed as new information emerges. The company says it has shut down more than 4,000 YouTube channels in the second quarter of 2024 as part of an investigation into Russia-linked influence operations. YouTube works with Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) to identify bad actors and removes their channels and accounts accordingly.