London CNN –
YouTube is temporarily stopping Comedian Russell Brand is making money from his videos after being accused of rape and sexual harassment.
In a statement to CNN on Tuesday, YouTube said it had “suspended monetization on Russell Brand’s channel” for violating its Creator Responsibility Policy, which outlines how creators should behave on and off the platform. Sets standards for this.
“If a creator’s off-platform behavior harms our users, employees, or ecosystem, we take action to protect the community,” the statement said.
YouTube, which is owned by Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL), said it had taken the action “following serious allegations” made against the comedian over the weekend.
On Saturday, British media outlets The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Issued A joint investigation in which four women alleged that Brand sexually harassed them on separate occasions between 2006 and 2013. One of the women said she was 16 and Brand was 31 at the time of the alleged attack in London.
On Friday, the brand denied the allegations in a video posted on its verified Instagram page.
“Surprisingly, in the midst of this litany of rather baroque attacks, there are some very serious allegations that I completely deny,” Brand said in his video.
In recent years, the brand has focused its attention on its YouTube channel, which has been accused of promoting conspiracy theories, including some related to the coronavirus pandemic.
YouTube also said its governance processes prevent creators from using new or alternative channels [its] Enforcement Judgment” and generate income elsewhere on the platform.
Alison Stewart-Allen, a marketing and branding expert at consultancy International Marketing Partners, said YouTube was “right” to put distance between itself and the comedian’s “toxic brand”.
On Monday, London’s Metropolitan Police said it was investigating an allegation of sexual harassment made by Brand. The police force said a woman reported the alleged assault in 2003 to Met Sunday following the release of a joint media report.
A BBC spokesman said on Sunday that the British broadcaster was “urgently looking” into the issues raised in the Channel 4 documentary. Brand worked on BBC radio programs between 2006 and 2008.
Source: www.cnn.com
