YouTube blocks RT and other Russian channels from generating ad revenue

YouTube has temporarily barred Russia Today (RT) and a handful of other Russian channels from earning ad revenue. Citing “extraordinary circumstances” and the recent sanctions against the country, the company told it was putting a pause on the ability of several channels to monetize their content on the platform.

Additionally, YouTube said videos from those content creators would appear less frequently in user recommendations, and that RT and a handful of other channels would no longer be accessible in Ukraine following a request from the country’s government. YouTube did not provide Reuters with a full list of the restricted channels. We’ve reached out to the company for comment and more information.

It’s hard to say how much of an effect the restrictions will have on those channels. In , internet research firm estimated the Kremlin generated $27 million in ad revenue between 2017 and 2018. Over the span of a 12 year period, Russia has earned as much as $73 million in YouTube ad revenue from RT and other state-affiliated channels. 

The move follows similar ones from Facebook and Twitter. On Friday, Nathaniel Gleicher, Meta’s head of security policy, said the company was or using any other monetization features in response to the invasion of Ukraine. That same day, Twitter said it was suspending all advertising in Ukraine and Russia to better highlight authoritative information and combat misinformation.