Quebec conspiracy theorist kicked off YouTube for spreading COVID-19 misinformation

Quebec's best-known conspiracy theorist, Alexis Cossette-Trudel,lost another media platform on Thursday when YouTubeshut down his account, which had more than 120,000 subscribers.

YouTube said it was removingCossette-Trudel's channel, Radio-Qubec, for "repeatedly violating our community guidelines regarding COVID-19 misinformation." The news was first reported by Radio-Canada.

Last week, Facebook shut down bothCossette-Trudel's personal account and hisRadio-Qubecaccount, where he had also gained a large following.

Facebook said it took action againstRadio-Qubecbecause of its affiliation with the QAnon conspiracy movement, which believes, among other things, that world events are controlled by a cabal of Satanic pedophiles.

YouTubesaid Thursday it too is taking measures to keep QAnon content off its platform. It announced that it will remove videos thattarget"an individual or group with conspiracy theories that have been used to justify real-world violence."

A spokesperson for YouTube told CBC News that 60 channels and1,800 videos were removed Thursday under the new policy, and more terminations were expected in the coming weeks.

Among those who were stripped of their accounts was the Amazing Polly, a QAnon propagandist from Ontario known for having spread the (debunked) rumour that online retailer Wayfairwas selling children on its website.

YouTube spokespersonZaitoon MurjisaidRadio-Qubecwas removed not for its ties to QAnonbut for spreading incorrect information about COVID-19.

WATCH | Quebec conspiracy theorist removed from Facebook:

Quebec conspiracy theorist with links to QAnon removed from Facebook

4 years ago

Duration 2:04

Facebook has removed the account of popular Quebec conspiracy theorist Alexis Cossette-Trudel as part of its campaign to take down any group or page openly identifying with the QAnon right-wing conspiracy movement, a group U.S. law enforcement officials call a security risk.

Influence grew as pandemic worsened

The number of subscribers toRadio-Qubec'sYouTube channel have more than tripled since the start of the pandemic.

In his videos, some ofwhich have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times,Cossette-Trudel repeatsgroundless claims that the dangers of COVID-19 are being exaggerated as part of a plot to undermine U.S. President Donald Trump.

He also routinely maintains without evidence that Quebec government officials are manipulating statistics about deaths and hospitalizations. He argues thatpublic health restrictions, such as wearing masks indoors, are unjustified.

Thanks to his social media following,Cossette-Trudel has become a leading figure within the movement opposing Quebec's public-health rules. He spoke at several anti-mask demonstrations in the summer and fall.

Growing concern

The Quebec government has expressed growing concern about the influence of conspiracy theories in the province.

Premier Franois Legault said last week they posed a"real problem" to the government's efforts at curbing the second wave of coronavirusinfections. (The province reported 969 new cases on Thursday).

"It doesn't help to convince the population to follow our guidelines," Legault said.

Cossette-Trudel continues to broadcast on smaller, lesser-known social media channels, but his following there is a fraction of what it was on YouTube and Facebook.