Google has taken down approximately 11,000 YouTube channels backed by China and Russia, citing the spread of misleading propaganda.
This massive shutdown occurred in the second quarter of 2025 alone, targeting channels on the popular video streaming platform.
According to recent reports from CNBC and Google's official blog, among the deactivated channels, 7,700 were linked to China, while 2,200 were supported by Russia.
Google's "Threat Analysis Group" monitors YouTube channels globally. Previously, in May alone, Google had shut down 20 YouTube channels, 4 advertising accounts, and 1 blog.
Reports indicate that the Chinese channels primarily praised Xi Jinping and criticized U.S. foreign policy in both Chinese and English.
Russian channels, on the other hand, focused on defending Russia while criticizing Ukraine, NATO, and Western countries.
These channels also spoke on behalf of organizations connected to the Moscow administration.
The remaining channels faced accusations of spreading disinformation on political opposition and religious issues, often on behalf of administrations in Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Israel, Romania, and Ghana.
Google stated that these channels were propagating false and misleading information, which led to their termination.
