Sixteen state attorneys general sent a letter to YouTube executives demanding answers on YouTube’s censorship of conservative content.
Led by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the letter demands answers over how YouTube moderates content on its platform, and why the platform has removed and censored conservative content.
The letter is addressed to Kent Walker, Chief Legal Officer of Alphabet; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet; and Neal Mohan, CEO of YouTube. YouTube is owned by Alphabet Inc.
“We have received concerns about continued suppression of conservative voices, including voices whose YouTube channels were negatively affected by YouTube’s COVID-19 and election fraud policies that are no longer in effect,” the letter states.
“We have also received troubling reports that commentators in Iowa may have been negatively affected by YouTube’s COVID-19 and election fraud policies.”
In particular, the letter cites YouTube’s treatment of Iowa-based Christian, conservative commentator Steve Deace, host of The Steve Deace Show on Blaze Media. Deace is represented by First Liberty Institute.
YouTube removed at least four episodes of Deace’s show from its platform between 2020 and 2022 because of speech critical of COVID-19 lockdowns, the COVID-19 vaccine and the integrity of the 2020 elections.
In 2022, while the show experienced significant growth on other platforms, it experienced a precipitous decline in views and impressions on YouTube.
According to First Liberty, a Christian legal aid organization, “This strongly suggests that YouTube shadow-banned or otherwise limited the visibility of The Steve Deace Show. … [which] seems to be continuing.”
The letter notes that on September 23, 2025, Alphabet acknowledged senior officials in the Biden administration “conducted repeated and sustained outreach to Alphabet and pressed the Company regarding certain user-generated content related to the COVID-19 pandemic that did not violate its policies.”
At the same time, Alphabet affirmed that YouTube “takes seriously the importance of protecting free expression and access to a range of viewpoints” and “values conservative voices on its platform.”
Now, 16 attorneys general are demanding Alphabet live up to its promises.
The letter asks, “Does YouTube flag certain topics or phrases for more scrutiny?” and “Did YouTube limit the visibility of Iowan Steve Deace or programming on the Blaze Media platform between 2019 and present?”
“Social media monopolies admit to colluding with the government to censor speech,” said Hiram Sasser, Executive General Counsel for First Liberty Institute, in a statement.
Sasser added,
“I am very thankful to see Brenna Bird and all the other attorneys general take up this crucial issue,” said Steve Deace in a statement. “But I’m also not surprised, because our Republican AGs have been some of the most eager and effective warriors in our party, including my own AG Brenna Bird.”
The attorneys general requested a response by April 16, 2026.
Related articles and resources:
‘The Babylon Bee’ Fights Hawaii Law Censoring Political Speech
Elon Musk’s Free Speech Legacy
President Trump Signs Executive Order Restoring Free Speech, Ending Censorship
Zuckerberg Boots Fact Checkers – Here’s Why It’s Good News
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