Ha, Andrew Tate can’t make money from YouTube anymore

In a continuation of his quite spectacular fall from grace, YouTube has pulled several channels peddling Andrew Tate’s “online business academy” after claims he was using the site to exploit money out of young fans through his $49-a-month get rich quick scheme, The Real World.

On one channel where he promoted the programme, he’d racked up more than 450million views since December 2022, even though YouTube had previously claimed to have deleted all channels which were linked to Andrew.

Meanwhile, the second biggest remaining The Real World channel had 264,000 subscribers and nearly 300 million views before it was pulled from the platform this week.

Critics told VICE The Real World was exploiting Andrew’s young fans for money and labour. It recruited them through social media and “relied on laissez-faire moderation policies at YouTube, TikTok and Instagram” despite all platforms claiming to have banned his content.

One UK lawyer, Jack Beeston, whose firm called for The Real World to be deplatformed said the targeting methods The Real World directed at young people was “the digital equivalent of grooming.”

YouTube said in a statement the channels had been deleted “for violating our Terms of Service, which prohibit prominently featuring content from a previously terminated user,” adding: “When a channel is terminated, it is against our Terms of Service to open or use another channel or circumvent the policy suspension of one channel by activity on another.”

One of the channels (with 264,000 subscribers) was specifically banned for going against YouTube’s spam, deceptive practices, and scams policies, “which strictly prohibit content where the main purpose is to trick others into leaving YouTube for another site.”

Andrew is currently being held under judicial control in Romania where he’s awaiting trial for accusations of human trafficking, rape and forming an organised crime group – accusations he denies.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Right, here’s what’s going on with Andrew Tate – one year on from his arrest in Romania

• All the celebrities who’ve successfully dragged Andrew Tate back to where he belongs

• ‘Do this. Do that. Money arrives’: Inside Andrew Tate’s £42 per month Hustler’s University

Featured image credit via YouTube