WEDNESDAY- 6th October, 2021: YouTube has removed video channels belonging to disgraced R&B singer, R. Kelly after he had been convicted of sex related charges.
However, the internet video giant will maintain access to the singer’s music catalogues on YouTube Music, but he will not be allowed to create any new channel in the future.
On Tuesday, YouTube removed the two channels, RkellyTV, which had 3.5 million subscribers; and RKellyVevo, which had about 1.6 million subscribers. YouTube cited that it was a violation of its terms of service.
Videos are no longer accessible on the deleted channel. Attempts to watch now display the message “This video is no longer available because the YouTube account associated with this video has been terminated.”
YouTube VP of legal Nicole Alston said in a memo reported by Bloomberg, “Egregious actions committed by R. Kelly warrant penalties beyond standard enforcement measures due to a potential to cause widespread harm. Ultimately we are taking this action to protect our users similar to other platforms.”
YouTube also said it pulled down the channels linked to R. Kelly in accordance with its “creator responsibility guidelines” That policy prohibits “on-platform or off-platform behaviour that we may consider to be inappropriate,” including “intending to cause malicious harm to others” and “participating in abuse or violence, demonstrating cruelty, or participating in fraudulent/deceptive behaviour leading to real-world harm.”
YouTube’s move to delete the 54-year old singer’s channels comes eight days after a federal jury found him guilty of racketeering and eight charges of an anti-sex trafficking law.
Surveys conducted by Morning Consults shows that after Kelly’s conviction, 44% of users in air streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music wants his music to be removed from the catalogue. 36% wants his songs to stay on air, while 20% had no opinion.
The singer’s official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts have also been disabled.
On September 27, Kelly was found guilty in New York federal court of leading a scheme to recruit women and girls for sex, following decades of women coming forward to accuse him of sex crimes. In 2008, Kelly was acquitted of child pornography charges in Illinois, where he is still facing additional charges. He is set to be sentenced on May 4, 2022.
