YouTube announced this week it pulled the plug on a Robert F. Kennedy Jr. video because of his anti-vaccine claims.
Mr. Kennedy was interviewed by conservative commentator Jordan Peterson for his Daily Wire podcast last week. In the talk, the Democratic presidential candidate espoused many of the anti-vaccine claims he has been making for years.
“We removed a video from the Jordan Peterson channel for violating YouTube’s general vaccine misinformation policy, which prohibits content that alleges that vaccines cause chronic side effects, outside of rare side effects that are recognized by health authorities,” YouTube said Monday.
While the interview is still available on the Daily Wire website, many of the site’s commentators criticized YouTube for removing the video. Mr. Kennedy even jumped onto Twitter to ask, “Should social media platforms censor presidential candidates?”
Mr. Kennedy has been on a long media tour since he announced his candidacy this year. Last week he sat down with podcaster Joe Rogan for a three-hour discussion. In the interview, the candidate voiced similar anti-vaccine claims and questioned the health effects from Wi-Fi technology.
Spotify, which hosts the Joe Rogan podcast exclusively, is receiving a mix of praise and criticism for hosting the RFK Jr. episode.
In response to the video, vaccine specialist Peter Hotez shamed Spotify for hosting the candidate. Mr. Rogan then offered the doctor $100,000 to come on his show and debate Mr. Kennedy. Dr. Hotez declined to participate, saying he was confronted by anti-vaccine activists at his house.
