Is YouTube Hiding a Bunch of LGBTQI Videos in “Restricted Mode”?

A bunch of high profile vloggers are accusing YouTube of hiding videos with LGBTQI content.

It seems that videos with LGBTQI subject matter are being filtered out when users browse YouTube in “restricted mode”, which is intended to block “potentially objectionable content”.

Obviously, the potential suggestion that this subject matter is not “family friendly” is hugely upsetting, and not simply for the vloggers such as Tyler Oakley, NeonFiona, SeaineLove and Rowan Ellis, who have seen some of their videos disappear under this setting.

still not fixed. one of my recent videos "8 Black LGBTQ+ Trailblazers Who Inspire Me" is blocked because of this. i'm perplexed, @YouTube. https://t.co/MrGBmPum1a

— Tyler Oakley (@tyleroakley) March 19, 2017

Ellis published a video over the weekend explaining the depth of the issue, noting that around 40 of her videos have been hidden, while NeonFiona, who is bisexual, has seen all her videos about having a girlfriend filtered (her videos about having a boyfriend remain visible in “restricted mode”).

In a statement to Gizmodo, YouTube said, “Some videos that cover subjects like health, politics and sexuality may not appear for users and institutions that choose to use this feature.”

Bizarrely, the band Tegan and Sara have also discovered some of their videos disappear under “restricted mode”, including their totally innocuous tour clip for “That Girl”. You can read the lyrics here. Both members of Tegan and Sara are openly gay.

If you put @YouTube on restricted mode a bunch of our music videos disappear. I checked myself. LGBTQ people shouldn't be restricted. SAD!

— Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara) March 19, 2017

You may want to check your favourite artists and vloggers on “restricted mode” and see if their videos are still visible.

Photo: YouTube (Rowan Ellis)