YouTube has announced a new initiative offering previously banned creators the opportunity to return to the platform. The pilot programme, detailed in a company blog post, will extend invitations to a select group of creators, including those who were removed for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and the 2020 US election.
We’ve had a lot of questions about a pathway back to YouTube for some terminated creators to set up a new channel. This will be a limited pilot project that will be available to a subset of creators in addition to those channels terminated for policies that have been deprecated.…
— Updates From YouTube (@UpdatesFromYT) September 23, 2025
The move follows increased political scrutiny. In a letter to US Representative Jim Jordan, whose congressional committee issued multiple subpoenas to the company, YouTube confirmed that the programme would include creators banned for “repeated violations of COVID-19 and election integrity policies that are no longer in effect.”
Changing approach to misinformation policies
During the height of the pandemic in 2020, YouTube implemented strict measures to remove videos containing false claims about vaccines. The platform later expanded its efforts to combat misinformation by penalising creators who spread unfounded allegations about the 2020 presidential election. In the aftermath of the January 6 Capitol riot, YouTube also suspended then-President Donald Trump from uploading new content.
However, in 2023, the company began easing its restrictions. It reinstated Trump’s account and relaxed several of its misinformation policies to accommodate what it described as “the new types of discussion and content” emerging on the platform.
“YouTube continues to enable a diversity of perspectives and believes creators should be able to debate political ideas on the platform openly,” the company stated in its correspondence with Rep. Jordan.
Eligibility and future rollout
The “second chance” programme officially begins this week and will expand to eligible users over the coming weeks. YouTube said it will assess each case based on several criteria, including the severity and frequency of past violations and whether a creator’s conduct—either on or off the platform—has caused harm to the YouTube community.
Creators banned for copyright infringement or violations of YouTube’s Creator Responsibility policies will not be eligible to participate. Those who voluntarily deleted their channels or Google accounts will also be unable to apply “at this time.” Additionally, the company confirmed that anyone whose channel was terminated must wait at least one year before requesting a new account.
“We know many terminated creators deserve a second chance — YouTube has evolved and changed over the past 20 years, and we’ve had our share of second chances to get things right with our community too,” the company said. “Our goal is to roll this out to creators who are eligible to apply over the coming months, and we appreciate the patience as we ramp up, carefully review requests, and learn as we go.”
Legal developments and broader implications
The announcement comes shortly after YouTube agreed to pay US$24.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump in 2021 regarding his account suspension. Of that amount, US$22 million will reportedly be used to help build a new White House ballroom. Meanwhile, YouTube’s parent company, Alphabet, is currently defending itself against the US Department of Justice in a separate case concerning alleged monopolistic practices in its advertising technology division.
The pilot programme marks a significant shift in YouTube’s content moderation strategy, reflecting its evolving stance on misinformation and free expression. By offering a path back for specific creators, the company appears to be seeking a balance between accountability, public discourse, and political pressures.
