YouTube temporarily suspends Trump lawyer Giuliani from partner program

[January 27, 2021]  (Reuters) - YouTube temporarily suspended former President Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani from its partner program last week, the Alphabet Inc unit said on Tuesday, citing repeated violation of its policy that prevents false claim of widespread fraud in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, personal attorney to U.S. President Donald Trump, gestures as he speaks after media announced that Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Joe Biden has won the 2020 U.S. presidential election, in, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., November 7, 2020. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

The partner program gives content creators greater access to the video platform's resources and enables revenue sharing from ads that are served on their content. The move removes the channel's ability to monetize and restricts access to features like partner support, YouTube said.

Giuliani is facing https://www.reuters.com/article/giuliani-complaint-idUSL1N2JX2PN at least two New York disciplinary complaints by prominent attorney groups citing his repeated voter fraud claims on behalf of the former president and his incendiary remarks just before the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol.

Channels removed can appeal the decision or reapply to the program in 30 days, if they address the underlying issues that led to the suspension, according to YouTube.

YouTube also said on Tuesday that it would indefinitely block Trump's YouTube channel from new uploads "in light of concerns about the ongoing potential for violence." YouTube first banned him from posting new videos two weeks ago.

(Reporting by Ayanti Bera in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)

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