Candace Owens, a prominent conservative commentator, has recently faced a temporary suspension from YouTube, a move she attributes to "Zionists" flagging an interview she conducted with rapper Kanye West.
During this interview, West made the controversial statement that "Jewish people control the media," a claim that has stirred significant controversy.
According to The New York Post, Owens, who has previously been criticized by the Anti-Defamation League for promoting antisemitic tropes, was removed from the popular streaming platform on Monday. In a post on her X account, Owens informed her followers, "There will be no show today, or at all this week. That's because @YouTube has issued me a strike and a one-week suspension for my sit-down with Kanye." She also revealed that YouTube had "demonetized" her account, which boasts a following of 2.4 million.
Owens, who parted ways with Daily Wire earlier this year following a public disagreement with co-founder Ben Shapiro over Israel and antisemitism, stated that YouTube, owned by Alphabet, categorized the interview as 'hate speech,' after it was mass reported by Zionists. "Their tactics never change," Owens commented.
The conservative commentator shared an email from YouTube, which stated, "Additionally, the video Kanye West (Ye) x Candace Owens | Candace Ep 42 has been removed from the Candace Owens YouTube channel because it violates our hate speech policies." The email further clarified that YouTube prohibits content containing conspiratorial claims that individuals or groups are evil, corrupt, or malicious based on their protected group status. The company informed Owens that the video contained claims that Jewish people control the media.
The interview, which took place on August 7, was removed following a social media campaign aimed at de-platforming Owens. In a post on X, Owens defended the interview, stating that West, who has legally changed his name to Ye, was "calm and filled with love speaking about the world coming together to defeat evil."
Owens speculated that the suspension of her YouTube channel was connected to a recent debate she participated in with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach on Piers Morgan's television show. "The world knows why I am being targeted and frankly, I have never felt more confident that I am the right person for this to happen," she wrote on X.
Despite the controversy, Owens maintains that she has had no previous strikes on her YouTube account. However, she has recently received three content hits in quick succession, along with an email notifying her of full demonetization.
YouTube confirmed Owens' suspension on Tuesday. Jack Malon, a YouTube spokesperson, stated, "We've suspended channels associated with Candace Owens from the YouTube Partner Program following repeated violations of our policies, including our Advertiser-Friendly Guidelines and Community Guidelines." The company also confirmed that Owens would no longer be able to monetize on YouTube and is prohibited from uploading content to her channel for a week.
YouTube's policies allow creators to reapply for access after 90 days if their channels repeatedly violate the site's policies. Kanye West, now known as Ye, has also faced suspensions from several social media accounts due to antisemitic remarks, including repeating tropes about Jews controlling the entertainment industry and blaming a Jewish doctor for inadequate medical treatment.
Despite the controversy, Owens continues to defend Ye and other far-right figures accused of making antisemitic comments, such as Nick Fuentes. This incident underscores the ongoing debate about the balance between free speech and hate speech on social media platforms.
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