In the second quarter of 2025, Google removed nearly 11,000 YouTube channels and other accounts that were spreading propaganda for China, Russia, and other countries.
In the second quarter of 2025, Google removed nearly 11,000 YouTube channels and other accounts that were spreading propaganda for China, Russia, and other countries.
Active account removal is part of Google's Threat Analysis Group's work to counter global disinformation campaigns and "coordinated influence" operations, CNBC writes .
More than 7,700 YouTube channels linked to China have been blocked .
These campaigns primarily distributed content in Chinese and English that promoted the People's Republic of China, supported President Xi Jinping, and commented on U.S. foreign policy.
More than 2,000 of the removed channels were linked to Russia. Their content was multilingual, pro-Russian, and critical of Ukraine, NATO, and the West.
In May, Google removed 20 YouTube channels, 4 ad accounts, and 1 Blogger blog linked to Russian state-run RT, which is accused of paying prominent conservative figures for content on social media ahead of the 2024 election.
It also includes the removal of propaganda campaigns linked to Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Israel, Romania, and Ghana, which were directed against political rivals.
Some campaigns focused on growing geopolitical conflicts, including narratives on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian war.
