YouTube’s new CEO justifies platform’s decision to demonetize Russell Brand

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Neal Mohan, CEO of the Google-owned platform YouTube, justified the platform’s decision to demonetize actor Russell Brand’s channel without any evidence supporting the allegations against him.

Brand, who earns more than a million dollars a year from YouTube, was suspended from earning advertising revenue on the platform following allegations of sexual assault. Brand has denied the allegations against him, claims that his relationships have all been consensual.

Emphasizing the integrity of the “broader creator ecosystem,” Mohan stated that off-platform actions or news that might tarnish the reputation of the creator community could lead to a suspension from YouTube's monetization program. He shared his remarks during a conversation with CBS Mornings' co-host Tony Dokoupil.

“If creators have off-platform behavior, or there’s off-platform news that could be damaging to the broader creator ecosystem, you can be suspended from our monetization program,” he said.

“It’s impacted a number of creators and personalities on the platform in the past. And that’s what played out in this particular case around the serious allegations,” Mohan added.

When asked how YouTube decides to ban or demonetize its users without due process, Mohan stated, “We endeavor to apply those rules, equally across our entire creator ecosystem,” and insisted that the platform does not play favorites.

“Not playing favorites, having them apply to the content, the behavior, as opposed to who the person is,” he insisted.

Under the penalty to his account, the actor is still allowed to post videos on the platform, but he may not earn any revenue from advertisers.