Top 10 Worst Controversies in YouTube India History
The Indian digital landscape did witness some controversies surrounding YouTube India. Viewers and creators alike are now discussing ad nauseum. Here’re the biggest 10 controversies in the history of YouTube India:
PewDiePie vs. T-Series
Swedish YouTuber PewDiePie competing with Indian music label T-Series for the title of most-subscribed channel was a worldwide spectacle. Promotional efforts from both sides were conducted, with controversies following behind them, some having to do with vandalism, and some with inappropriate content.
Roast of “YouTube vs. TikTok” by CarryMinati
In 2020, Indian YouTuber CarryMinati (Ajey Nagar) created and uploaded a roast video where he roasted TikTok creators, and the video quickly racked up millions of views. YouTube subsequently removed the video for violating its policies against harassment and bullying, triggering a well-publicized debate surrounding freedom of expression and the policies of social media platforms.
Feud Between Amir Siddiqui and YouTubers
After TikTok influencer Amir Siddiqui slammed YouTubers for mocking TikTok content, the social media world erupted into a vicious fight. This sparked a fierce battle of past grievances between content creators on both platforms, eventually leading to CarryMinati’s now infamous roast video.
The Alleged Paid Reviews of Technical Guruji
Technical Guruji, aka Gaurav Chaudhary, had allegations of paid reviews leveled against him. It led critics to accuse him of compromising the integrity of content, raising questions over transparency and ethics in the world of tech reviewers.
Saiman Says vs. PewDiePie Diss Track
To the famous ‘PewDiePie vs. T-Series’ subscriber battle, a Indian YouTube, Saiman Says released a diss track targeted at PewDiePie The song received mixed reactions on the Internet, with some viewers finding the act humorous and others bemoaning it for escalating tensions.
Hindustani Bhau’s YouTube Channels Removed
Vikas Pathak, better known as Hindustani Bhau, had his channel’s contents removed for inciting hate speech and violence. Its decision reinforced YouTube’s community guideline enforcement and ignited discussions of content moderation.
YouTube Demonetization Policies
Because YouTube promised rewards with reason, many Indian YouTubers were upset with their own videos being demonotized. This sparked conversations about the platform’s transparency and communication with creators.
Fake Giveaways and Scams
Fake giveaways from Indian YouTubers — Many Indian YouTubers have also been accused of holding fake giveaways to increase engagement and deceive their audience. Perhaps more concerning, they raised questions of trust and authenticity for the YouTube ecosystem.
It can be easier to get views from radical political views
Many critics also said that YouTube’s algorithm promoted extravagant and controversial videos, which allowed misinformation and divisive material to spread. That has renewed calls for the platform to redesign its content recommendation systems.
Censorship and Removing Content
Such removals and censorship, particularly around political and social issues, led to heated discussions around freedom of expression on YouTube India. Creators and viewers both had questions about what the platform’s speech limiters were doing.