YouTube Suspends Fox News Host Dan Bongino For Covid Disinformation

Topline

Right-wing commentator Dan Bongino’s popular YouTube channel has been suspended for violating the platform’s Covid disinformation policy, after Bongino falsely claimed in a video that masks are “useless” in preventing coronavirus spread.

Key Facts

A YouTube spokesperson told Forbes Bongino’s channel has also had its monetization suspended for “repeatedly violating our Advertiser-Friendly Guidelines on harmful and dangerous acts.”

Bongino’s comments represented a first strike against his channel, according to YouTube—the platform’s policy states three strikes within a 90-day period will result in a permanent ban.

After news of the suspension broke, Bongino retweeted an image appearing to show him sending a YouTube representative a profanity-laced email, saying he will “immediately post content questioning why masks have been totally ineffective” when he returns, closing the message by saying “respectfully kiss my ass.”

Bongino did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.

Big Number

869,000. That’s how many subscribers Bongino has for his YouTube channel.

Key Background

Bongino is widely considered one of the top figures in conservative news media, especially after his  Fox-affiliated radio show, The Dan Bongino Show, took over the time slot of the late Rush Limbaugh’s show in many markets last year. Bongino’s Facebook page is also one of the most popular conservative news sources on the platform, and is responsible for the most popular link post during the past week.

What To Watch For

Bongino was suspended from Twitter last year after posting a video that violated the platform’s policies against promoting violence after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He vowed he’d never return to Twitter, though he remained an active user after the suspension.

Further Reading

How Dan Bongino went from a failed congressional candidate to one of the kings of conservative media (Insider)

Fox News’ Dan Bongino Leads Conservative News Resurgence On Facebook (Forbes)

Fox News’ Dan Bongino Won’t Return to Twitter After Suspension: ‘F– You’ (TheWrap)

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