Far-right commentator Candace Owens is temporarily banned from YouTube and can no longer earn money from her channel after the platform flagged her videos as hate speech.

Owens shared on Facebook, “I won’t be releasing an episode of my podcast today or for the rest of the week because my YouTube account has been suspended.”

She reported receiving warnings from YouTube regarding three videos, which included an interview with Kanye West and a discussion with Rabbi Shmuley, ultimately resulting in strikes for violating hate speech rules.

One of the notifications, attached to her Facebook message, states that YouTube removed the video “Kanye West (Ye) x Candace Owens | Candace Ep 42” due to “assertions that Jewish people dominate the media,” a common antisemitic claim that breaches YouTube’s service terms forbidding content that casts specific groups as evil or corrupt.

Owens wrote, “Today, I got three consecutive emails notifying me that my videos were taken down. Shortly after, another email informed me that my channel was fully demonetized. In summary, I can no longer generate revenue on YouTube because I engage in ‘hate.’

Included in her correspondence was a notification about her removal from the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), which permits creators to earn revenue through advertisements. The email cited several policy violations, including breaches of the “Ad-Friendly Guidelines” and “Community Guidelines,” which indicated her channel was unsuitable for ad display because it promotes or incites hatred against any group.

Mitchell P. Jackson, a representative for Owens, told YSL News that there were no previous strikes against her podcast until today, when three strikes hit her account simultaneously, leading to demonetization based on an interview nearly a month old with Ye (Kanye West). The suspension followed a call to mass report her channel from an account on X, formerly Twitter.

Jackson emphasized that enabling mass reporting to result in bans, regardless of rule violations, is a danger to free speech. “Right now, Candace is facing attacks on her speech, but this could happen to anyone,” he stated.

“This is targeted harassment, and YouTube does nothing about it,” Owens remarked in a statement through her representative.

Understanding the First Amendment

Free speech, as defined by the First Amendment of the Constitution, protects the right to express opinions freely, free from government censorship, as long as the speech does not incite immediate harm. It does not apply to private companies like YouTube, which retain the right to enforce their own guidelines and conditions for using their services.

A YouTube spokesperson, Jack Malon, confirmed to YSL News that “Channels linked to Candace Owens have been removed from the YouTube Partner Program due to recurring policy violations, including breaches of our Advertiser-Friendly Guidelines and Community Guidelines.”

YouTube also clarified to YSL News that there is a stringent requirement for monetization, and channels in the YPP must comply with policy expectations. Channels that continually breach guidelines may be suspended but can reapply for monetization after 90 days, provided the issues that led to the suspension are resolved.

Owens attributes takedown to ‘extremists’

Owens’ posts suggest she is not looking to mend ties with YouTube.

“While I have been incredibly thankful for the positive feedback, I was aware that my actions would come with significant personal repercussions. The media dislikes losing control over narratives, and I have challenged radical Zionism,” she stated, accusing an X account called “Awesome Jew” of orchestrating the mass reporting and “radicals” pressuring her sponsors to withdraw ads from her show.

On X, formerly Twitter, she reiterated that her videos were taken down due to mass reporting by Zionists.

“Their methods are always the same,” she remarked, adding that Kanye West “was composed and filled with love—talking about unity to confront evil” during their conversation on her platform.

A history of antisemitism

Both Owens and West have been known for promoting hateful narratives against various groups, including antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy claims about Jewish individuals.

Owens, who previously had disputes with Ben Shapiro, the founder of The Daily Wire, has made controversial claims, including one regarding “secret Jewish gangs” that supposedly commit “horrific acts” in Hollywood.

She has also been involved in Holocaust denial and revisionism, gaining backing from individuals like Nick Fuentes, who is known for his neo-Nazi views and Holocaust denial.

Furthermore, Owens has consistently supported Kanye West, who made headlines in 2022 by affirming on Alex Jones’ Infowars that he “liked” Hitler, claimed that “[Nazis] did good things, too,” and stated, “We’ve got to stop dissing the Nazis all the time.”

These remarks are among the most shocking in a pattern of antisemitic comments made by the rapper over the years.