On Monday, YouTube agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump after the platform suspended his account in the wake of the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol.
The Settlement
According to the BBC, YouTube’s parent company, Alphabet, agreed to pay a total of $24.5 million. The lawsuit accused YouTube, along with other platforms, of political bias by restricting conservative voices after the 2021 riots. The settlement follows similar agreements Trump made with X/Twitter and Facebook.
As part of the deal, $22 million will be directed to the Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit that is working to raise $200 million to build a new ballroom at the White House. The remaining funds will be distributed among other organizations and individuals who joined Trump’s lawsuit.
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YouTube’s Policy Shift
Just last week, YouTube also announced it would restore accounts that had previously been banned for spreading false claims about the coronavirus and the 2020 presidential election. This marks a significant shift in policy as the platform reopens access to users previously suspended under its misinformation rules.
Trump argued that his suspensions reflected a broader bias against conservative voices online. The lawsuit claimed that the restrictions were politically motivated and part of a coordinated effort to silence him and his supporters after January 6.
The $24.5 million settlement between YouTube and Donald Trump closes a high-profile dispute over his account suspension after January 6. While Alphabet has not admitted bias, the agreement reflects growing pressure on social media platforms over content moderation, free speech, and political influence.