Do you want YouTube to be the arbiter of what information you see? Of what news you hear and what arguments you’re exposed to?

Odds are, the answer is no.

However, although most users are unaware of it, in practice this is exactly what is happening. YouTube may promote itself as a simple platform, but through its aggressive content moderation, YouTube behaves much more like a publisher, deciding what content we see, regardless of what our own preferences and opinions are.

As the dominant hub for video content, with over 2.7 billion monthly active users, YouTube holds immense power to shape public discourse, education, and entertainment. Yet its current practices stifle diversity of thought, prioritize establishment narratives, and undermine the marketplace of free ideas. And so, we, the undersigned users, creators, and advocates for free expression, call upon YouTube to reform its content moderation policies.

Currently, YouTube's algorithms and enforcement guidelines favor "authoritative" sources, such as mainstream media outlets and government-affiliated channels, while demoting or outright banning independent voices. This bias is largely hidden from users, and manifests in the promotion of verified, corporate-backed content at the expense of grassroots creators who offer alternative perspectives. For instance, videos challenging official health policies, environmental claims, government regulations, or geopolitical events are often labeled as "misinformation" and removed, even when backed by credible evidence or expert opinions outside the mainstream consensus. This creates an echo chamber where only sanctioned viewpoints thrive, despite users having the illusion of control over the (pre-approved) content they choose to view.

Such actions not only violate principles of free speech, but also give disproportionate and undeserved power to those who work behind the scenes to control what content appears on our screens.

To rectify this, we demand YouTube:

1. Revise moderation to prioritize neutrality, with guidelines applying equally to all content and creators, regardless of ideological perspective or potential corporate/state affiliation
2. Implement clear, appealable processes for bans and demonetization, with independent oversight
3. Foster true openness through equitable recommendations, not opaque algorithms that boost "authoritative" content, instead giving priority to content that is attracting views organically and is likely to match an individual user’s preferences

YouTube was built on user-generated content; it must return to those roots to remain relevant in an era demanding authenticity. We urge YouTube's leadership to heed this call and transform the platform into a beacon of free expression. Sign below to support a more open YouTube for all.

This is a sponsored petition. Learn more here.