Big Tech Censorship is nothing new to the hunting community. Safari Club International (SCI) knows this is a critical issue for hunters as the primary conservators of land and wildlife. Facebook, Instagram and now YouTube are perpetuating stigmas against hunters, and it is vital for everyday Americans to understand the value of the contributions from our community. The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation is the most effective method of species and ecosystem conservation in the world. In addition to providing the revenues and management of wildlife, hunters follow an ethical code and deeply care about the wildlife and habitats they hunt in.
YouTube, the world’s largest video content media mogul, has launched the biggest attacks on added new guidelines that will ultimately shut down hunting content creators’ webpages from making much, if any, money. Safari Club International has been tracking big tech censorship and constantly trying to put a stop to it. Here is what we know so far about YouTube’s mission to cancel hunting:
YouTube has added new guidelines to its “Ad-Friendly content Guidelines” that sets restrictions on any picture/video showing an animal in distress caused by human action. Censoring this kind of content from a hunting channel will limit views. This is demonetizing hunters, as taking away views will remove any chance of making ad-revenue, the only way to make money from YouTube, and ultimately end with the expiration of said channel. Furthermore, this is bad news for outdoorsmen and women who enjoy learning from these videos or using it as educational moment for their children or new hunters.
Examples of these restrictions are already starting to surface and hurt conservationist hunters. Seek One, with over half a million subscribers and millions of views on their channel, was confronted by YouTube earlier this year. Violation of these restrictions, which at the time were unclear to Seek One, cost them 30 days of revenue lost. Much of their content, which is ethical hunting and beneficial to conservation, is now restricted to “causing distress to animals.”
Ending big tech censorship is important on many different levels: freedom of speech, freedom to hunt, and freedom to express and share your craft, hobby, and livelihood. With these restrictions in place hunting channels will have to leave platforms like YouTube or Facebook to be able to gain ads and produce revenue. When we lose our voices on big platforms such as the one mentioned above, we put this sport and the wellbeing of the great outdoors at risk. Big Tech is following emotional arguments against hunting without regard for benefits to species, field to table food, and habitat protection.
Safari Club International won’t let this stand. SCI is fighting against Big Tech censorship on behalf of hunters across the country. If you haven’t already, now is the time to SIGN OUR PETITION TO STAND UP TO BIG TECH and let you voice be heard! Safari Club International is always First For Hunters.
