Tech Giant to Pay Settlement Without Admitting Fault; Funds Earmarked for National Mall Trust and Conservative Groups
YouTube has agreed to pay President Trump $24.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit. The suit, filed in July 2021, accused the video platform and other tech giants of unlawfully censoring Trump and other conservative voices following the events of January 6, 2021.
While YouTube, a subsidiary of Google, has not admitted any wrongdoing, the settlement marks the second time a major tech company has paid out to resolve the former president’s claims of unlawful silencing. This follows Meta’s (then-Facebook) $25 million agreement with Trump earlier this year for suspending his accounts after the Capitol riot.
Settlement Details and Beneficiaries
The bulk of the settlement, $22 million, has been designated for the Trust for the National Mall to support the construction of the White House ballroom. An additional $2.5 million from the settlement is slated to go to a group of Trump supporters, including the American Conservative Union and author Naomi Wolf.
Trump’s original lawsuit targeted Google, Meta, and what was then Twitter (now X), along with their CEOs, alleging violations of the First Amendment and unlawful silencing of conservative viewpoints. At the time, Trump alleged the platforms suspended his and others’ accounts due to pressure from political adversaries, citing figures like some congressional Democrats and Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Context and Policy Shifts
The settlement comes at a time of shifting policies for YouTube’s parent company. Google announced on Tuesday it would allow video creators previously banned for violating political speech guidelines an opportunity to return to the platform.
This move follows a period during the Biden administration when YouTube faced scrutiny for its content moderation policies, particularly regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. YouTube quickly imposed policies restricting discussions about COVID-19, including treatments, as content creators began speaking out against the vaccines and related mandates.
In a letter to the House Judiciary Committee, Google acknowledged that creators were removed for violating guidelines on election integrity and COVID-19 content.
The company also disclosed that Biden officials had “pressed” them repeatedly to remove content that did not technically violate policy but was labeled “misinformation” by the administration, adding another layer to the ongoing public debate surrounding tech censorship and free speech.
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