11 Oct Google takes YouTube channel implicated in Russian disinformation ops offline
The channel was run by two vloggers identifying themselves as Williams and Kalvin Johnson, reports TechCrunch. The duo had posted videos critical of Hillary Clinton in the run-up to the 2016 election, calling her a racist and promoting Clinton conspiracy theories, and offering pro-Trump commentary. The target audience the channel appears to have aimed to attract were African-Americans, who made up a large base of Clinton’s supporters.
It’s not clear if Google decided to remove the channel after the Daily Beast claimed earlier this week that the Johnson’s were working directly for the Kremlin, or if Google already had the channel in its sights. The search giant had previously said the company is “taking a deeper look to investigate attempts to abuse our systems” in relation to Russian disinformation efforts. Before Google yanked Williams and Kalvin Johnson’s channel, Facebook had previously shuttered their Facebook page where the pair posted similar videos.
Source: Fast Company
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