MODERATION MAYHEM

Black Video Creators Sue YouTube, Alleging Racial Discrimination by Algorithm

Four black women allege the company removed their videos without explanation or with a justification based on untrue assertions.

Four Black YouTube video creators have filed a lawsuit against the company alleging that its moderation algorithm unfairly removed their content. The suit, filed in federal Northern California court, accuses the company of using its vast influence over “95 percent of the video content available to the public” to “rig the game, by using their power to restrict and block Plaintiffs and other similarly situated competitors, based on racial identity or viewpoint discrimination for profit.” YouTube denied the allegations to The Washington Post. Catherine Jones, Nicole Lewis, Kimberly Carleste Newman, and Lisa Cabrera all say YouTube removed videos from their channel either without explanation or with a justification based on untrue assertions, actions they say are tantamount to racial discrimination. LBGTQ creators filed a similar suit in the summer of 2019.