If you find that one of your YouTube playlists has been removed due to allegations of hate speech, it can be confusing and frustrating. YouTube has community guidelines that prohibit hate speech, and they enforce these rules by removing videos or entire playlists that violate them. Getting a playlist taken down unexpectedly can leave you wondering what happened and what to do next. Here is some guidance on what it means when your playlist is removed for hate speech, and steps you can take in response.
What constitutes hate speech on YouTube?
YouTube’s hate speech policy prohibits content that promotes violence or hatred against individuals or groups based on attributes like race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, age, veteran status, and sexual orientation/gender identity. This includes:
- Dehumanizing or calling for exclusion or segregation of protected groups
- Claiming protected groups are inherently inferior, evil, or diseased
- Praising or justifying violence against protected groups
- Cursing, mocking, or making derogatory claims about protected groups
- Denying tragic events targeting protected groups took place
YouTube evaluates context as well as intent when assessing potential hate speech violations. Even edgy, offensive, or dark humor can cross the line into prohibited hate speech depending on the specifics of what is said.
Why YouTube removes hate speech
YouTube aims to balance enabling free speech with protecting users and the broader community from harm. They see hate speech directed against individuals and groups as harmful and antithetical to the values of respect, equality, and dignity they want to promote on their platform.
By disallowing hate speech, YouTube seeks to:
- Protect the wellbeing and dignity of users who might be targets of hate
- Reduce the potential for offline violence or discrimination
- Prevent the normalization or spread of harmful stereotypes
- Uphold civil public discourse and human rights norms
Removing hate speech helps provide a safer, more inclusive environment on YouTube.
Notifying creators about hate speech removals
When YouTube removes an entire playlist for violating hate speech policies, they notify the channel owner by email explaining:
- The playlist was taken down for violating community guidelines
- Which guideline policy was violated (in this case, hate speech)
- An overview of what content was deemed to violate policy
- Information on how to appeal the takedown if you believe it was a mistake
If the removal only affected certain videos rather than the full playlist, you will get email notifications about each video removed.
Appealing a playlist removal
If you believe your playlist was wrongly accused of hate speech, you can appeal YouTube’s decision by:
- Going to Studio on a desktop browser and finding the removed playlist
- Clicking the “Send feedback” button
- Selecting “Request Review” and choosing “I want to appeal” as the reason
- Explaining clearly in the text box why you believe the removal was a mistake
- Clicking Submit to send your appeal to YouTube
YouTube will thoroughly re-review the content in question when considering appeals. Provide any clarifying context about your intent, message, and the specific communities targeted that could help explain why the playlist should be reinstated.
Note it can take 1-2 weeks to get a response back on your appeal. Removals are upheld if YouTube determines the policy violation claim was valid.
Other consequences of removal
In addition to losing access to the playlist, getting content removed for hate speech can lead to other repercussions like:
- Strikes – Each removal counts as one strike against your channel. 3 strikes in 90 days leads to channel termination.
- Restricted monetization – Repeated removals can get your channel demonetized so you cannot run ads.
- Suppressed recommendations – Your channel’s content may get recommended less after hate speech removals.
- Limited or disabled features – Parts of the Studio creator tool may become unavailable due to policy violations.
These effects compound if a channel continually has content removed for hate speech violations, so one playlist takedown can be an early warning.
Avoiding hate speech violations
To avoid losing access to your playlist or getting strikes on your channel, be mindful to avoid hate speech in your videos. Ask yourself:
- Does this promote hate or violence against a protected group?
- Does it dehumanize or marginalize vulnerable groups?
- Could any humor or rhetoric be interpreted as harmful?
- Is my intent clearly not to spread hate?
Err on the side of caution with edgy humor, political content, or discussions involving protected demographics. If unsure, leave it out or find constructive ways to make the same points.
Other tips include:
- Familiarize yourself fully with YouTube’s hate speech policy
- Disable comments if needed to prevent hateful rhetoric
- Seek informed perspectives on how your content could affect others
- Reflect carefully on the values and impacts of your content
Repurposing removed videos responsibly
If only certain videos within a playlist get removed but you can keep the overall playlist, re-edit and reupload any salvageable removed videos in a way that complies with the hate speech policy. Points to keep in mind:
- Edit out any direct hate speech elements flagged in the takedown notice
- Remove derogatory imagery or other potentially offensive visual components
- Adjust the framing or rhetoric to align better with YouTube’s policies if needed
- Add context explaining your intent if helpful to clarify misunderstandings
It may be possible to keep the core ideas without the violations. But some content cannot be sufficiently edited to meet standards, in which case it has to stay removed.
Creating a new compliant playlist
If you cannot recover your original playlist or want a fresh start, begin assembling a new playlist avoiding hate speech:
- Curate videos mindfully in line with community guidelines as you add them
- Disable comments if necessary to prevent hateful discussion
- Moderate actively by removing any videos that start to violate policies
- Mitigate risks by keeping videos focused on constructive topics
A clean slate playlist centered on positive discourse reduces chances of repeat issues. Foster community norms of respect in any dialogue you enable.
When removal may be permanent
In cases of severe, repeated, or malicious hate speech violations, YouTube may permanently ban a channel and remove all its playlists. This happens when:
- A channel receives 3 policy violations in 90 days leading to termination
- The channel owner deliberately posts hate speech despite warnings and removals
- Content poses an urgent risk of inciting violence or real world harm
YouTube focuses bans on creators clearly intending to spread hate. But even accidental policy breaches can build up over time to termination if not addressed responsibly.
Conclusion
Getting your YouTube playlist removed due to hate speech allegations can be jarring, but by understanding the policies, appealing if warranted, and learning from the experience, you can recover and avoid repeats. The removal process exists to protect the wellbeing of both creators and users on the platform. View it as an opportunity for reflection and growth. With care and integrity, you can find ways to share your voice positively in line with your values.
