YouTube will no longer punish accounts that question efficacy of face masks: Report



YouTube, the Big Tech video mega-platform, may recently have updated its "misinformation" policies so that it will no longer remove content that questions the validity of wearing a face mask to prevent COVID or penalize accounts that publish such content.

YouTube, which is owned by Google, has lengthy "misinformation policies" related to three controversial topics: Elections, vaccines, and COVID. As recently as April, YouTube forbade any content that claims "wearing a mask is dangerous or causes negative physical health effects" or that "masks do not play a role in preventing the contraction or transmission of COVID-19."

However, by May 31, YouTube had quietly eliminated both of those references to face masks from its list of COVID "prevention misinformation."

Podcaster Tim Pool, whose YouTube account has over 1.3 million subscribers, tweeted a screenshot of the old policy and the new, highlighting the discrepancy.

"Youtube updated its policies to no longer ban claims that masks do not play a role in preventing spread of COVID," Pool wrote.

Likely because of the possible confusion that could result from using so many negatives, Pool clarified: "Essentially, you are now allowed to claim masks don't work."

\u201cYoutube updated its policies to no longer ban claims that masks do not play a role in preventing spread of COVID\n\nEssentially, you are now allowed to claim masks don't work\u201d
— Tim Pool (@Tim Pool) 1661222458

Free speech proponents will likely celebrate this development, even as many high-profile YouTube accounts are still suffering the effects of exercising their freedom of speech and speaking out against masks between 2020 and May 2022.

YouTube claims it automatically removes any content that violates its policies. Users who violate the policies receive a warning and then a strike if the behavior persists. After three strikes within a 90-day period, an account is permanently suspended.

According to the Daily Wire, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a professor at Stanford School of Medicine; Brandon Tatum, a former police officer and current radio host and entrepreneur; and even Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and conservative commentator Dan Bongino have all had their accounts penalized in one form or another because they voiced their skepticism about mask efficacy.

BlazeTV host Elijah Schaffer likewise claims he received a "strike" on account of this policy.

"I got a strike for saying this. We couldn’t stream for a few days. Lost money. Glad to know I was correct," Schaffer tweeted in response to Pool.

It is unclear whether YouTube intends to restore those accounts terminated for violating this policy. YouTube claims to reserve the right to adjust its COVID misinformation policies as guidance from major health institutions changes.

What is DEADLY FORCE, and when should it be used?



Former Tucson, Arizona police officer and host of "The Tatum Report" Brandon Tatum joins our show to discuss the recent shooting of Patrick Lyoya in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He explains what series of actions led to the fatal shooting and why people that like to play "Monday-morning quarterback" are often mistaken about these types of situations. What happens when a police officer is at the very end of his fitness level?

In this clip, "Fearless" host Jason Whitlock asks Tatum whether or not the city would have settled in a scenario where the suspect fires a gun at the officer, and the officer shot and killed him? Tatum says the city is unlikely to settle in a situation like that because the city is actually unlikely to pursue the case.

Tatum explains that in a situation like this with compelling video (to the average person) and in which the police department is sued, instead of fighting the family, the city normally just sits in the court for a crazy amount of taxpayer dollars and walks away from the situation.

Michael Brown's family, for example, got paid out, and that was a justified use of force. Jacob Blake's family got paid out, and it was a justified use of force — he was committing a crime in the course of him getting shot and paralyzed. Tamir Rice's family got paid out, so it's not necessarily a matter of whether the use of force was legitimate.

If they call it a wrongful death suit, it means that maybe there could have been a possibility that the person wouldn't have died if somehow the stars realigned and the officer did something different. The court usually pays these people out. In this case, of course, you can Monday-morning quarterback or Monday-morning judge all you want, but the circumstances in this situation necessitated the use of deadly force.

Whitlock redirects, asking Brandon to explain to people why all of the Monday-morning quarterbacks are asking why the officer didn't shoot him in the leg, the butt, or the arm? Why did the officer hit him in the neck and head area?

"Why did the police officer use lethal force when he could have shot him in the arm? It's just like saying, why did Tom Brady throw the bomb down the field, and nobody was in sight? It's because you don't see that the wide receiver was supposed to run a go route, and he ended up stopping it early. Tom Brady threw it when he was going, and then he stopped, and so it looks like nobody was down the field. It's the same thing with the police," Tatum said.

If you don't understand the use of force policy and how police are trained, then what you see will not match what you think. When an officer has gotten to a point where he/she has to use deadly force against a suspect, the officer can shoot them wherever he/she believes will stop them and eliminate them as a threat. Once a person has your taser, which is a deadly weapon, they can render you incapable of fighting if you get stung with it, and they could potentially kill you. So, that escalates the threat level and officers can use deadly force when they're in a situation like that.

"I've been in plenty of problems like this police officer was ... when you're spent, and you're at the end of your fitness level, and this guy now has your taser you don't have a choice to pause and strategize whether or not to shoot him in a leg. Because if he takes that leg shot, he turns around to tase you, you're going to be dead," Tatum explains, adding that the use of deadly force results from the totality of circumstances.

Watch the clip to hear more from the conversation. Can't watch? Download the podcast here.



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'People just projected negativity on you': Ex-cop exposes how black officers are REALLY treated



On "The Rubin Report," BlazeTV host Dave Rubin talked to Brandon Tatum, former police officer and author of "Beaten Black and Blue: Being a Black Cop in an America Under Siege," about what it’s really like to be a black police officer, the impact the defund-the-police movement has had on police morale, and the truth behind some of the prominent myths surrounding cases like Michael Brown and the Breonna Taylor shooting.

In this clip, Brandon shared his recent experience of being booed while speaking at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Revolt Summit 2021 for having a different viewpoint. Then, he and another police officer had their panel discussion comments deleted from the final broadcast of the summit.

"I was on the panel as a black police officer, and literally everything I said was to support the relationship between law enforcement and the black community. I got booed," Brandon explained. "People may not understand that this is what it's like actually being a black man in America on the police department."

He added, "The funny thing is, they scrapped ... everything me and another black officer said. And we said a lot of profound things that I think could be invaluable to the community. And they deleted it when they posted it, which is shameful."

Brandon also discussed the tension between black officers and the communities they are sworn to protect.

"People just projected negativity on you. [They thought] you had to be a murderous thug," he said. "It was very disheartening. Because I knew the men and women who worked with me, and worked around the country, putting your life on the line for other people. I mean, this is not a video game, man. This is not, you know, like a pre-recording of something. I mean, if you mess up, it's real life. This is real time. And the men and women I knew, and their families, a lot of people [who are] just great individuals who have a passion for supporting their communities. And to see them get just ragged on with false narratives being pushed was something that was like, you know, I've got to write a book and I've got to tell the story and correct some of this stuff, because people aren't getting a fair evaluation of law enforcement."

Watch the video clip below or find the full episode of "The Rubin Report" here:



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A Dose of Hope? | Guest: Brandon Tatum | 4/29/21

A Dose of Hope? | Guest: Brandon Tatum | 4/29/21

PAT GRAY: Ex-cop and BLEXIT co-founder explains the 'myth of racism'



Brexit co-founder and ex-cop Brandon Tatum joined "Pat Gray Unleashed" on Thursday and discussed his views on racism in America.

Tatum explained that in his experience, people are often left shocked after hearing his views on the state of racism in the United States. Tatum broke down why he believes the narrative that police officers are hunting down black Americans is a myth, and how proportionately, "white Americans are shot twice as often as black Americans."

Watch the clip for the full interview. Can't watch? Download the podcast here.


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Ex-football player and cop points out LeBron James’ hypocrisy: ‘Living on a high horse’ in a ‘multimillion dollar house’ around ‘nothing but white people’



Former football player and police officer Brandon Tatum blasted NBA star LeBron James over what he says is his hypocrisy of living in an isolated bubble but pointing the finger at a police officer doing his job.

James went viral on Wednesday night after tweeting a photo of the officer involved in the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant, who was reportedly trying to stab another female during a Tuesday altercation.

James tweeted — and later deleted — the photo with the caption, "YOU'RE NEXT. #ACCOUNTABILITY."

What are the details?

Speaking with Fox News' Laura Ingraham on Thursday night, Tatum — who runs a conservative YouTube channel — said that James would not hesitate to work with white police officers for the right reason.

"LeBron James is living on a high horse. He's in a multimillion-dollar house living around nothing but white people," Tatum railed. "He is not affected by none of this violence. He could care less. And at the drop of a dime, he will have white officers at his house doing investigations on false claims if there is some."

He also blasted the Black Lives Matter movement for similar hypocrisy.

"LeBron James and these wealthy people like the BLM co-founder living in million-dollar houses, they don't care," Tatum added. "They just want to push a virtue signal because they have nothing better to do. They are not educated enough to look at things from both sides and they continue to want to push a narrative that's just not true. I really wish they would be held accountable and at least ashamed of what they're doing to our country."

Following Ma'Khia Bryant's shooting death, Tatum — who, on Twitter, goes by handle @TheOfficerTatum — tweeted video of the child's mother saying that her daughter "promoted peace."

He captioned the video, "As [Bryant] was attempting to stab another girl. People need to stop getting on TV lying about their kids. I saw the body camera."

As she was attempting to stab another girl. People need to stop getting on TV lying about their kids. I saw the bod… https://t.co/rzsVaNNiAF
— Brandon Tatum (@Brandon Tatum)1619008764.0

Office Supplies Company Staples Refuses To Denounce Lebron James’ Attack On Cop Who Saved Black Girl From Being Murdered In Stabbing Attack

Staples and its affiliated arena in Los Angeles that hosts the Lakers have been silent on LeBron James' outrageous tweets threatening a police officer.