Google Deletes 11,000 YouTube Channels Tied to Global Propaganda Campaigns

Tech News: Google announced on Monday that it removed around 11,000 YouTube channels and social media accounts in the second quarter of 2024. These accounts were part of state-backed propaganda campaigns linked to countries like China, Russia, and others.

China-Linked Channels Were the Highest

According to Google, more than 7,700 YouTube channels connected to China were taken down. Most of these channels posted content in Chinese and English, promoting the Chinese government, showing support for President Xi Jinping, and commenting on U.S. foreign policies.

Over 2,000 Russia-Linked Channels Removed

Google also removed over 2,000 YouTube channels related to Russia. These channels shared pro-Russia content in multiple languages and criticized Ukraine, NATO, and Western countries. In May, Google also shut down 20 YouTube channels, 4 advertising accounts, and 1 blog associated with RT (Russia’s state media).

US Election-Related Activity Also Detected

An NBC News report revealed that some U.S.-based content creators like Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson, who support Donald Trump, created promotional content for a Tennessee company linked to RT. The company was allegedly involved in spreading influential media ahead of the 2024 U.S. elections.

Propaganda from Other Countries Removed Too

Google’s report also mentions that accounts from Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Israel, Romania, and Ghana were removed. These were mainly targeting political opponents and spreading false or biased information on issues like the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Google’s Official Statement

Google’s Threat Analysis Group said that this is part of their regular effort to counter disinformation and foreign influence campaigns. A YouTube spokesperson said, “The removed accounts match our expectations, and this work will continue going forward.”

Meta Also Takes Strong Action

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, recently announced that it had removed about 10 million fake profiles during the first half of 2025. These profiles were imitating popular content creators and spreading spam and misleading content.