YouTube will permit creators whose accounts had been terminated for repeated violations of COVID-19 and election integrity insurance policies to rejoin the platform, in response to a letter that YouTube dad or mum firm Alphabet despatched to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) on Tuesday.

“Reflecting the Firm’s dedication to free expression, YouTube will present a possibility for all creators to rejoin the platform if the Firm terminated their channels for repeated violations of COVID-19 and elections integrity insurance policies which might be now not in impact,” Alphabet’s authorized counsel Daniel F. Donovan wrote. “YouTube values conservative voices on its platform and acknowledges that these creators have in depth attain and play an vital function in civic discourse.”

This letter was a response to a subpoena from Rep. Jordan, who sought to research if the Biden-Harris administration had “coerced or colluded” with firms like Alphabet to censor speech.

On the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many social platforms like YouTube, Fb, and Twitter enacted insurance policies to ban the unfold of medical misinformation in regards to the virus and vaccines. For instance, YouTube disallowed content material saying that vaccines may cause most cancers, a false declare which is not supported by scientific analysis.

Later, platforms additionally took motion in opposition to content material falsely claiming that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was “stolen” from Donald Trump. Twitter, not but purchased and rebranded by Elon Musk, stated that it suspended 70,000 accounts for sharing QAnon conspiracy content material and inciting violence within the week after the January 6 riots.

However main as much as the presidential election in 2024, on-line platforms started loosening their insurance policies round misinformation. On YouTube, this included reinstating president Donald Trump, whose account had been banned after the January 6 assault for breaking guidelines round inciting violence. The platform additionally reinstated Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who turned the U.S. Secretary of Well being and Human Providers.

Now, in response to the corporate’s letter to Rep. Jordan, all creators whose accounts had been censored by these insurance policies will likely be allowed again on the platform.

“Whereas the reliance on well being authorities on this context was well-intentioned, the Firm acknowledges it ought to have by no means come on the expense of public debate on these vital points,” the corporate wrote.

YouTube didn’t reply to TechCrunch’s request for remark.