Youtube, the world’s largest video sharing platform, has announced that its new Terms of Service will include a clause allowing them to “terminate your access, or your Google account’s access to all or part of the service if Youtube believes, in its sole discretion, that provision of the service to you is no longer commercially viable.”

In other words, they can terminate any channel whether or not they have broken any rules, without warning or due process to appeal- based on a vague standard of “commercial viability”.

This is a particular and serious problem for LGBTQ+ creators, who have faced demonitization (the removal of ads) for their videos and channels based on their identities* all while claiming to be allies to them. This change would effectively allow for Youtube to discriminate against the LGBTQ+ members of its own service. 

As serious as that issue may be, this change would not just affect the LGBTQ+ community- it will affect all content creators and fans of this service. Let us be clear: WE ARE YOUTUBE. While the ability to access an online platform is something we appreciate, WE CREATE the content they benefit from. We do this without any financial investment on their part, yet they place their ads on our channels, attached to our work, in order to reach those who are fans of our content.

Every single creator has known the anxiety and the thrill of starting their channel, crafting their videos and sending them out into the world. The viewers of these channels have had the benefit of the variety and passion of these creators, and have formed supportive communities around them. It is this interaction between creators and fans that form the heart of Youtube around the globe. Yet Youtube now seeks to terminate these channels and their communities based on nothing but a vague determination, answerable only to themselves. 

We, the undersigned fans, creators and supporters are SAYING NO to this UNFAIR alteration in the long-running contract between us and the Youtube corporate leaders. This new clause has been imposed on us without any consultation or possibility of negotiation despite our supposed “partnership” with them. It is a vague rule that allows for unjust discrimation and abuse, without any way to seek redress.  WE DEMAND IT BE RESCINDED IMMEDIATELY and the Terms of Service returned to previous understandings. 

We expect a response to this petition within 10 days, otherwise we will seek further avenues for redressing this wrong.