Gun Accounts Turn to Rumble as YouTube Takes Aim at Firearm Content

February 2nd, 2023 3:44 PM

Firearms video channels are moving their content to Rumble in the face of YouTube’s censorship campaign against gun accessory content as tracked by MRC Free Speech America’s unique CensorTrack.org database.

MRC Free Speech America recorded censorship of five major YouTube firearms accounts due to gun accessory content in our exclusive CensorTrack.org database. Four firearms channels, including one that has yet to be censored, are now promoting their Rumble channels following the wave of YouTube restrictions, according to Reclaim the Net.

Some of the content creators are still posting on YouTube but now are taking advantage of the ability to post censored content on Rumble instead. YouTube claimed that putting legal accessories on firearms constituted weapon modification and violated its firearms policy.

YouTube deleted content that demonstrated gun silencers/suppressors and high capacity magazines from the Mrgunsngear, Garand Thumb, Top Shot Dustin, NFA Review Channel, and Forgotten Weapons channels. The accounts also received warnings or strikes and Mrgunsngear was temporarily suspended. The platform allows a warning and two strikes within 90 days before entirely deleting the account from the platform. Strikes cause temporary suspensions, which would explain Mrgunsngear’s suspension. 

When asked about the restrictions, YouTube restored Top Shot Dustin’s video “Worlds Tiniest Folding Suppressed 22!” and Forgotten Weapons’ video “Knight’s XM9 Beretta ‘Hush Puppy’ - For USAF Survival Kits” to YouTube after their initial Jan. 30 and Jan. 27 deletion. 

A YouTube spokesperson told MRC Free Speech America that, “Upon review, we determined the videos in question are not violative of our Community Guidelines and have reinstated them.” The spokesperson added that “When it’s brought to our attention that content has been mistakenly removed, we review it and take appropriate action, including reinstating and removing associated strikes.”

Reclaim the Net reported originally two of Top Shot Dustin’s videos were censored. The platform also restored Garand Thumb’s video, censored as of Jan. 26.

Is YouTube worried about losing popular accounts? Garand Thumb, for instance, has 2.76 million subscribers, and Top Shot Dustin has 775,000 subscribers. If firearms content creators continue to see Rumble as a more attractive alternative, as Reclaim the Net indicated, YouTube could lose traffic.

For example, Iraqveteran8888 tweeted that his “content is currently being ported over to” Rumble on Jan. 24. While it appears that YouTube did not censor his account, he might have seen the recent censorship as writing on the wall and moved to Rumble (though he’s still posting on YouTube too), possibly to avoid potential targeting from YouTube. Iraqveteran8888 added, “We will be publishing some exclusive content to Rumble you won’t be able to find elsewhere.”

As Reclaim the Net noted, this is hardly the first time YouTube has taken aim at firearms content. The platform has removed live streams of peaceful gun rallies. MRC Free Speech America reported in September 2021 that YouTube banned and demonetized fishing and hunting channels.

Conservatives are under attack. Contact YouTube here or send feedback and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency, clarity on its guidelines and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.