YouTube defends AI moderation after 12 million channels terminated in 2025
Mar 6th 2026
YouTube faces creator backlash after millions of channel terminations in 2025 as the company says AI moderation will continue and blames many removals on scam networks while insisting human reviewers are involved.
- YouTube confirmed it will expand AI-powered moderation despite creator backlash.
- Creators and channels reported mass terminations from January to September 2025 totaling about 12.46 million channels according to one creator's tally.
- TeamYouTube said many recent terminations came from a specific financial scam network in Southeast Asia and that a terminated channel does not always mean a creator is banned.
- TeamYouTube also said Nani Josh's channel was correctly terminated after human review, a claim that creators dispute.
- CEO Neal Mohan said AI improves detection and enforcement at scale and can enable new types of creators.
- High-profile reinstatements, like Pokemon creator SplashPlate, highlight ongoing errors and appeals in the enforcement process.