YouTube is making headlines as it agrees to pay a whopping $24.5 million to put an end to a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump. This legal move came after he’s been suspended from multiple social media platforms after the riot on January 6, 2021.
With this settlement, YouTube becomes the last of the major tech companies involved in Trump’s litigation—Meta and what’s now X (formerly Twitter) already settled earlier.
Here’s the breakdown: YouTube will fork over $22 million to resolve claims directed at the nonprofit Trust for the National Mall, which works on preserving the iconic site and supporting the construction of the White House State Ballroom, based on court filings. Additionally, they will pay $2.5 million to others involved in this legal battle, including the American Conservative Union.
When asked for comments, YouTube referred CNN to the court documents.
Earlier this year, Meta settled with Trump for $25 million, and X resolved their part in February with a payment of about $10 million, as reported by the New York Times.
These social media platforms justified Trump’s suspensions by citing concerns that his posts could incite further violence. However, some legal experts saw similar lawsuits getting dismissed on the grounds that these companies have the discretion to manage their platforms however they choose.
Interestingly, these settlements come at a time when big tech seems to be easing up on its stance towards Trump and cozying up to Republican views since he took office.
Following Elon Musk’s takeover of X in late 2022, he reinstated Trump’s account—a move that was later echoed by Meta in February 2023 and then by YouTube in March.
It’s worth noting that Musk, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Alphabet’s big boss Sundar Pichai were all present at Trump’s inauguration. In fact, many users on the right have pointed out what they perceive as a rollback on content moderation guidelines that felt like censorship.
Just last week, YouTube announced it would re-establish some accounts that were banned for breaking rules against repeated misinformation, especially concerning the 2020 election results. They emphasized a commitment to fostering conservative voices, recognizing their importance in civic discussions.
Stay tuned for further developments on this story.
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