Google-owned YouTube has removed nearly 11,000 channels and other accounts in the second quarter of this year due to their involvement in state-linked propaganda campaigns, primarily originating from China and Russia, a report has said. Notably, Google removed over 23,000 accounts in the first quarter.As per CNBC, the takedown included over 7,700 YouTube channels linked to China. These campaigns primarily disseminated content in Chinese and English, promoting China, supporting President Xi Jinping, and commenting on US foreign affairs.The report further states that along with Chinese state-related videos, it removed over 2,000 channels that were tied to Russia. Their content, published in multiple languages, expressed support for Russia and engaged with topics concerning Ukraine, NATO and Western nations.These account removals are part of the efforts by Google’s Threat Analysis Group to counter global disinformation campaigns and “coordinated influence” operations, the report highlighted.
Google also removed influence campaigns linked to multiple countries
Google’s second-quarter report also detailed the removal of influence campaigns linked to Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Israel, Romania, and Ghana, which were found to be targeting political rivals. Some of these campaigns focused on escalating geopolitical conflicts, including narratives from both sides of the Israel-Palestine War, the report added.“The findings from the most recent update are in line with our expectations of this regular and ongoing work,” a YouTube spokesperson was quoted as saying.In the first quarter, Google removed over 23,000 accounts. Meanwhile, Meta announced last week that it had removed approximately 10 million profiles impersonating large content producers during the first half of 2025, as part of its own initiative to combat “spammy content.”This action follows Google’s removal in May of 20 YouTube channels, 4 Ads accounts, and 1 Blogger blog connected to RT, the Russian state-controlled media outlet. RT has been accused of compensating prominent conservative influencers for social media content in anticipation of the 2024 election.
