YouTube is currently addressing a royal mess-up on its part that resulted in the wrongful removal of several channels for violating its “spam and deceptive practices” policy. The removals, which occurred on October 3, 2024, affected both content creators and non-creators, many of whom were left without access to their accounts, subscriptions, and playlists. In a public update, YouTube acknowledged the error and assured users that their teams are actively working to reinstate the removed channels.
Affected users have voiced their frustration across social media platforms and forums like Reddit, where many shared their experiences of having their accounts removed despite not engaging in any spam-related activities. Some have also reported losing access to paid services such as YouTube Premium and YouTube TV, with all their saved content becoming temporarily unavailable. Here’s a screenshot shared on X showing the email affected creators and viewers were receiving.
YouTube responded swiftly to the concerns, stating, “Our teams are continuing to work on reinstating all removed channels and your access to paid subscriptions. We are very sorry for this error on our part and will follow up when it’s done.” The company says that missing content, such as playlists, would be restored soon after their channels were reinstated, citing delays as the primary reason for the missing data.
While some users have had their channels restored, some are still in the appeal process, trying to regain access. User reports indicate that some had trouble finding their YouTube URLs, a required field for the appeal process.
Such a massive blunder on YouTube’s part has naturally left many creators and users miffed with the platform. One Redditor said, “I don’t spam, or do anything for this to have happened, and I just f***ing paid for my YouTube Premium” Others shared similar sentiments, pointing out that they were not creators, but still lost access to their accounts and subscriptions. In some cases, YouTube Premium users found their entire music libraries inaccessible.
Luckily, it seems YouTube is making quick progress on getting accounts reinstated as many users have confirmed that their channels and saved content are back. If you’re still unable to access your account or saved content, don’t fret! Just give it a couple of hours and try again.
Dwayne Cubbins
392 Posts
For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.
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