The Real Reason YouTube Just Suspended Rudy Giuliani

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is back in the news again, and not just because Sacha Baron Cohen gave him a special shoutout during his acceptance speech at the 2021 Golden Globes. Giuliani, who appears regularly in his very own YouTube channel, won't be seen yet again after he was suspended a second time for spreading rumors about the results of the 2020 presidential elections – and that's not the only thing YouTube is angry with Giuliani about. A YouTube spokesman said in a statement that Giuliani's channel was taken down because he was also seen to be "violating our sale of regulated goods policy, which prohibits content facilitating the use of nicotine" (via Bloomberg). 

Giuliani got his first strike just a few weeks ago, in January 2021, because he was spreading fraud claims about the 2020 elections. The former mayor is a member of YouTube's partner program, which gives his content creators access to more of YouTube's video development resources, and a revenue share in whatever ads appear on their channel (via Reuters).

YouTube uses a strike system to monitor content

YouTube uses a strike system to penalize those who violate their content upload regulations. The second violation, which came within 90 days after the first warning was served, means he cannot post for two weeks and if there are no other issues, his privileges will be restored. The channel then watches you for a further 90 days and if a third violation is incurred, your channel is permanently taken down. YouTube also warns that getting rid of content will not cancel a strike. Rudy Giuliani's former boss, Donald Trump, has his own YouTube channel blocked indefinitely over worrisome concerns about the ongoing potential for violence," as reported by Reuters.

Giuliani has had a string of bad luck since Trump left office on January 20, 2021. Nearly a month after that, Trump adviser Jason Miller told CNN that Giuliani was "not currently representing [former] President Trump in any legal matters," but that he continued to be an ally and a friend.