Andrew Tate, the controversial social media influencer, has now been banned by YouTube. The platform is the latest to invoke a ban on Tate, following similar moves from the likes of Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
The multi-millionaire entrepreneur and former kickboxing champion grew his fan base largely as a result of misogynistic and sensationalist content; Tate’s videos have led to his followers — mostly between the ages of 16-25 — to coin him as “the King of Toxic Masculinity.”
In a statement to Bloomberg, YouTube said it first took action against Tate in July after he posted a video spreading COVID-19 misinformation. His permanent ban now is reportedly due to “multiple violations” of the platform’s community guidelines.
The termination from YouTube means that Tate will not be able to use, own, or create any other channels.
“Banning Andrew Tate from these platforms might seem the answer, but it isn’t that simple. Removing Tate’s voice doesn’t allow for a kinder hate-free society,” a spokesperson representing Tate told Bloomberg.
“There is a running contradiction in today’s society where men are encouraged to speak and be open/honest with how they feel but are generally met with a negative response to their truth,” they added.
Tate’s channel has been deleted on Twitch, but he’s still appearing on other people’s channels. It is unclear whether the platform has banned him. Meanwhile, TikTok has said it has banned the creator’s account but as Vice points out, Tate-related content still exists on the app. As of today, Mashable can see #andrewtate has 13.9 billion views on TikTok, with thousands of videos featuring Tate’s words.
