Several prominent YouTube channels, boasting hundreds of thousands of subscribers, have recently been abruptly terminated, leaving creators baffled and pointing fingers at the platform’s increasing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) for content moderation. The situation highlights growing concerns about the fairness and accuracy of automated enforcement of YouTube’s policies, especially when it comes to potential misidentifications and unexpected consequences for established creators.
The Curious Case of the Linked Channels
The controversy began with YouTuber Enderman, who operated a popular tech channel with over 350,000 subscribers. Enderman knew his channel was in jeopardy after a smaller channel he managed was already banned. YouTube’s policy prevents creators from circumventing bans by creating alternative accounts, as the platform links user accounts and will terminate associated channels.
However, the reason for Enderman’s termination was particularly perplexing. According to a notification received from YouTube, his channel was connected to a non-English language channel that had previously been terminated for accumulating three or more copyright strikes. This type of connection between channels has been a known enforcement tactic by YouTube.
Enderman claims he had no connection to the Japanese-language channel, translated as “Momiji plays Honkai: Star Rail Adventures,” and was unaware of its existence before the recent events. He argues that the termination was based on an inaccurate association between his channel and the previously banned one.
A Growing Trend of Similar Terminations
Enderman is not an isolated case. Over the past few days, multiple large YouTube channels – including Scratchit Gaming (over 402,000 subscribers) and 4096 (around half a million subscribers) – have reported similar terminations. These channels, too, were cited for alleged connections to the same Japanese channel.
The issue is compounded by the increasing frequency of channels being terminated under the banner of “spam, deceptive practices, and scam policy,” often without clear explanation or opportunity for effective appeal.
Blaming the Rise of AI Moderation
The wave of unexplained channel terminations has prompted many creators to question the role of AI in YouTube’s moderation system. Before his channel was banned, Enderman voiced concerns about YouTube’s increasing dependence on AI to make decisions concerning channel terminations. This is particularly concerning because it suggests that decisions with significant consequences for creators are being made without human oversight.
Other YouTubers have echoed these concerns, criticizing the platform’s AI-powered appeals process, which they believe is unresponsive and lacks transparency.
YouTube’s AI Investment and Policy
YouTube has been steadily increasing its investment in AI-powered moderation tools, particularly for video ads. Earlier this year, the company announced its use of large language model (LLM) technology to review ad content, supplementing human reviewers.
According to YouTube’s own policy, the company uses a combination of automated and human review for non-advertising content. However, the policy also states that automated systems may make an automated decision when they have a “high degree of confidence” that content is in violation. This suggests that AI systems are playing an increasingly important role in determining the fate of channels, with limited human intervention.
YouTube Responds and Channels Restored
UPDATE: Nov. 6, 2025, 11:41 a.m. EST YouTube has reached out to Mashable to provide an update on the situation. The company announced it has reinstated the channels of Enderman, Andrewman, tarkin, Scrachit Gaming, and 4096. A YouTube spokesperson also stated that the initial terminations were not determined by automated enforcement.
The situation raises important questions about the balance between automated enforcement and human oversight in content moderation, and the potential for AI systems to make inaccurate or unfair decisions that impact creators and their communities.
