Actor and commentator Russell Brand is in hot water over allegations of impropriety that allegedly occurred several years ago. Five women, four anonymously, made claims of wrongdoing they said happened from 2006-2013.
Now YouTube controversially announced on Tuesday that the platform canceled all monetization of Brand’s content posted on the site. This cut off his revenue from the video streaming platform.
And it came without a criminal charge being filed, without an arrest, and of course without a conviction.
6 million subscribers on YouTube and now #RussellBrand has had his channel demonetised.
He’s not been found guilty of anything yet in a court, it’s just accusations but that’s enough.
This was the aim from the start, silence descending voices, silence critics, control speech! pic.twitter.com/Eg3mBgCEAG
— Fear_the_Beard 🧔🏻♂️ (@FeartheBeardy) September 19, 2023
YouTube said “this decision applies to all channels that may be owned or operated by Russell Brand.”
It is noteworthy that not every platform has rushed to judgment and suspended Brand’s ability to earn a living. Canadian-based Rumble drew fire for its decision to allow him to continue to profit from his content.
Rumble received a disturbing letter from the Culture, Media, and Sport Committee asking if Brand would continue to receive earnings from the site. Instead of meekly surrendering, Rumble fired back.
The platform accused the committee of trying to control whose voices were heard online and who may earn money from their work.
Not so with YouTube.
Part of the issue at play is Brand’s political awakening. It was no secret in the early 2000s that he was a drug addict and engaged in highly immoral activities.
That of course did not in any way diminish his star in Hollywood or remove him from the left’s good graces.
But that was then. Now Brand is married with two small children, and his political positions contradict much of the old lifestyle he left behind. He emphasizes a more upstanding personal character and displays maturity starkly lacking in his younger years.
Which made him an easy target and removed support he could have at one time counted on.
Time will tell if Brand is guilty of accusations of behavior and acts that occurred over a decade ago. If so, he will likely be punished and should be.
But accusations alone are hardly proof that the alleged horrific acts occurred. And YouTube took a giant leap in canceling a person who does not face one iota of legal consequence on charges for which no evidence has been presented.
It’s enough to make one wonder what the true agenda is.
