Russell Brand assault case: YouTube suspends monetization on comedian's channel
What's the story
British comedian-actor Russell Brand faced suspension of monetization on his YouTube channel after being accused of rape and sexual assault. With 6.6M subscribers and millions of views per video, Brand's controversial content has come under fire. YouTube's decision to suspend advertising on the channel will impact his income, however, his content will continue to be available on the platform. Notably, the allegations against Brand surfaced following a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4 Dispatches.
Reason
Why did YouTube decide to suspend monetization on Brand's account?
YouTube's decision to suspend monetization is driven by the breach of the company's "creator responsibility policy." "If a creator's off-platform behavior harms our users, employees, or ecosystem, we take action to protect the community," a YouTube spokesperson said reportedly. Notably, the video-sharing giant's decision extends to "all channels that may be owned or operated" by the 48-year-old comedian, BBC mentioned in its report.
Earnings
Controversial YouTuber earned around $2K-$4K per video
Brand garnered a substantial following on YouTube—primarily through his videos discussing internet conspiracies, including topics related to politics, COVID-19, and UFOs. It's estimated that Brand earns a sum ranging from £2,000 ($2,500) to £4,000 per video. Sara McCorquodale, chief executive of social media analysis agency CORQ, estimated that the comedian makes up to £1M a year from his YouTube videos.
Details
Brand's assault allegations: What exactly happened?
Last week, Channel 4 dropped a 90-minute documentary that delved into a comprehensive exposé on Brand. Four women came forward with reports of incidents involving assault that transpired between 2006 and 2013—during Brand's time as a presenter for BBC and Channel 4 and his subsequent career as a Hollywood actor. The British TV channel also revealed that its Dispatches investigative team had been probing allegations against Brand since 2019.
Twitter Post
Here's the documentary by 'Channel 4 Dispatches'
“I was like, ‘oh my god, he raped me’”
A woman shares her story about her experiences with Russell Brand with @C4Dispatches in a joint investigation with @thetimes.
Brand denies all accusations including rape, sexual assault and controlling and emotionally abusive behaviour. pic.twitter.com/XtNV5s91gk — Channel 4 Dispatches (@C4Dispatches) September 16, 2023
Statement
Brand pre-emptively denied all allegations
Prior to the public release of the reports and documentary, Brand, pre-emptively issued a video statement in which he vehemently denied what he referred to as "very serious criminal allegations." In his declaration, Brand stated that all the relationships he had were "consensual," adding, "It's been clear to me...there's a serious and concerted agenda to control these kind of voices."
Assault case files
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police received a new report of assault
Per reports, the Metropolitan Police confirmed it recently received a report concerning an alleged sexual assault incident dating back to 2003. The location of this reported incident is Soho, central London. This new allegation appears to be different from the previously reported claims, which were based on the accounts of four women and pertained to events spanning from 2006 to 2013.