YouTubers Dan and Phil claim demonetisation has impacted them just for saying ‘gay’
Daniel Howell and Phil Lester on LGBTQ+ demonetisation. (Gareth Cattermole/Getty)
In a new interview, YouTubers, comedians and partners Dan Howell and Phil Lester say they have been demonetised for saying “gay”.
The duo, known online as Dan and Phil, have claimed that their content has been impacted by algorithms censoring keywords like “gay”.
Having met in 2009, Howell and Lester moved in together in 2011, regularly appearing in each other’s content and creating videos together. The pair, who came out as gay separately in 2019, revealed last year that they have been in a long-term relationship throughout their online careers. The nature of their relationship has long been speculation online
In an interview with The New Zealand Herald, they opened up about their experience with censorship and demonetisation.
In the conversation, they were asked about online monetisation from the content they make.
Howell remarked that they split money “50-50”. Then Lester shared: “Also, we’re getting demonetised a lot.”
‘We say no, we want to express ourselves’
Howell furthered: “The problem with the internet these days is you say the G word ‘gay’ and a nasty robot on the internet will go ‘Woah! Inappropriate for the robot algorithm, we’re gonna take the money away’.”
“Sometimes if you say a certain keyword, or something the algorithm doesn’t like, it can not promote you anymore,” Lester also shared.
“Or sometimes you’re just an honest comedian with a male podcast trying to make people laugh, and they say your language is horrific and inappropriate,” Howell noted.
“Who are we to be censored? We say no, we want to express ourselves, and if that means we’re constantly demonetised, then we’re making that choice.”
It’s no secret that there have been issues around LGBTQ+ censorship on social media platforms.
In 2019, a group of LGBTQ+ creators sued YouTube. They claimed that the company were demonetising videos that contained words like “gay” or “trans”. However, the lawsuit was dismissed, and YouTube says it has never had policies that prohibit or demonetise LGBTQ+ related content.
Though Howell and Lester didn’t explicitly mention which platforms they have been impacted on, fans called out YouTube.
“Dan and Phil talking about how bad demonetisation has impacted them just for saying “gay” ohhh when i catch you [YouTube]” one wrote.
According to YouTube’s hate speech policy, violence or hatred against individuals based on “sex, gender, or sexual orientation” is prohibited.
YouTube’s advertiser-friendly content guidelines have restrictions for “inappropriate language” and “adult content”. Though there is no explicit reference to being able to say the word “gay”.
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