YouTube lets One America News video falsely claiming Trump won the election remain up


YouTube isn't removing a video from the far-right One America News Network falsely claiming President Trump has won the 2020 election.
A video from the pro-Trump network posted on Nov. 4 falsely claims the president "won four more years in office" when the winner of the election has not yet been projected. It cites Trump's supposed victories in several states that have not been called by news networks and some that have been called for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. The video also pushes baseless allegations of voter fraud.
But YouTube isn't removing the video, which has amassed over 360,000 views. A spokesperson told CNBC that its policies "prohibit content misleading viewers about voting, for example content aiming to mislead voters about the time, place, means or eligibility requirements for voting, or false claims that could materially discourage voting," but "the content of this video doesn't rise to that level."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
YouTube noted that the information in the video is false, though, as it pulled ads from it while telling CNBC the platform doesn't "allow ads to run on content that undermines confidence in elections with demonstrably false information." The video has a label on it saying that "results may not be final," but that's the same label that has also been applied to accurate videos about the election, CNN notes.
As misinformation spreads online following Election Day, Twitter has placed warning labels on numerous misleading tweets including several by President Trump himself, while Facebook has also rolled out labels on Trump posts, including one that notes that the election result isn't final. YouTube previously pulled live streams on election night showing false results, The New York Times notes.
Fadi Quran, campaign director at the progressive nonprofit Avaaz, argued to the Times that "platforms need to quickly expand their efforts before the country is plunged into further chaos and confusion," adding, "it is a democratic emergency."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
September 6 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include profiting from authoritarianism, and the National Guard entering the CDC
-
Should Britain withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights?
Talking Point With calls now coming from Labour grandees as well as Nigel Farage and the Tories, departure from the ECHR 'is starting to feel inevitable'
-
5 outspoken cartoons about Epstein survivors taking center stage
Cartoons Artists take on cover-ups, Trump surrounded, and more
-
China's Xi hosts Modi, Putin, Kim in challenge to US
Speed Read Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Asian leaders at an SCO summit
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU offices
Speed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping mission
Speed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20
Speed Read The dead include five journalists who worked for The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peace
Speed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest war
Speed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'
-
Russia tries Ukraine land grab before Trump summit
Speed Read The incursion may be part of Putin's efforts to boost his bargaining position