YouTube Deletes Tenet Media Channels Over Russian Claims

On Thursday, YouTube executed a significant crackdown on several channels, notably removing Tenet Media’s account, which had become a prominent platform for right-wing commentators such as Tim Pool and Benny Johnson. This action follows a recent indictment by the Justice Department that alleges Tenet Media was financed by Russia as part of a clandestine influence campaign.

Before its removal, Tenet Media’s YouTube channel had garnered around 316,000 subscribers and was a hub for content featuring live streams and video segments from Pool, Johnson, and other right-wing figures. The channel’s abrupt disappearance has been marked by a notification for visitors that indicates it was removed due to violations of YouTube’s community guidelines. This move aligns with the platform’s broader efforts to address and mitigate the impact of coordinated influence operations.

The situation has left Tenet Media’s digital footprint somewhat fragmented. While its YouTube channel is no longer accessible, the company’s website remains live and still includes Pool, Johnson, Dave Rubin, Lauren Southern, Taylor Hansen, and Matt Christiansen in its roster of talent. Many of these individuals have publicly distanced themselves from Tenet Media, especially in light of the indictment’s allegations.

Tenet Media’s presence on other social media platforms, including TikTok, X, Instagram, and Facebook, persists. However, these accounts have not been updated since late Wednesday or early Thursday, suggesting a possible reduction in activity or engagement following the indictment. In contrast, Tenet Media’s Rumble channel, which markets itself as a “YouTube alternative” resistant to what it describes as “cancel culture,” continues to operate. This channel, which houses the same content that was on YouTube, has a significantly smaller following, with only 11,500 subscribers compared to the channel’s previous YouTube audience.

YouTube’s response to the situation was articulated in a statement from a spokesperson who confirmed the removal of Tenet Media’s channel and four other channels associated with Lauren Chen, a prominent right-wing commentator linked to the company. The spokesperson cited the “ongoing efforts to combat coordinated influence operations” as the primary reason for the removals. This decision followed the indictment by the Department of Justice and a thorough review process. YouTube has also indicated that its investigation into Tenet Media and the broader influence operation is continuing.

Chen, while not explicitly named in the DOJ’s indictment—which only refers to “Founder 1” and “Founder 2″—has been identified through various reports as one of the founders of Tenet Media, alongside her husband, Liam Donovan. Chen, a Canadian national, is well-known in right-wing circles and previously hosted shows for Glenn Beck’s Blaze Media. Her personal YouTube channel, before its removal, boasted over 500,000 subscribers. Following the indictment, Blaze Media terminated Chen’s affiliation with their platform and removed her profile from their website.

The indictment, filed by the DOJ on Wednesday, accuses the Russian government of secretly channeling $10 million into Tenet Media, a “Tennessee-based online content creation company.” This funding is alleged to have been part of a broader scheme to propagate pro-Russian content and disinformation across various social media platforms. The indictment details how two Russian state media employees allegedly laundered the funds through a network of shell companies, with Tenet Media tasked with producing English-language videos that aligned with Russian interests and aimed to deepen domestic divisions within the United States.

Importantly, the indictment does not accuse the right-wing commentators associated with Tenet Media of any direct involvement in the scheme. Instead, it suggests that these figures were deceived by the company’s founders and the Russian operatives. The indictment positions these commentators as “victims” of a sophisticated influence operation, which has since led many to publicly sever ties with Tenet Media and deny any knowledge of its alleged Russian connections.

The removal of Tenet Media’s YouTube channel and its ongoing presence on other platforms underscore the complex challenges social media companies face in combating foreign influence and disinformation. The case highlights the intricate nature of modern influence operations and raises questions about the effectiveness of current measures to safeguard digital platforms from covert manipulation. As investigations into Tenet Media and its affiliations continue, the full impact of this operation on American political discourse and social media remains a crucial area of scrutiny.