YouTube has lifted a contentious ban on the account belonging to TalkRadio, a U.K. national radio station owned by News Corp. that focuses on news and current events.

The station announced yesterday that its channel had been taken down from YouTube, but stated that no explanation was given for the removal.

The decision to suspend the account of a prominent national broadcaster seems to have stemmed from its policies regarding COVID-19 misinformation. According to Reuters, several of its presenters have voiced criticism of government actions aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus, deeming them either excessive or poorly directed.

However, the tech company’s decision to ban a national broadcaster was swiftly condemned by cabinet minister Michael Gove, who appeared on TalkRadio yesterday to advocate for its right to question government policies concerning the coronavirus.

The ban also prompted an intervention from News Corp.’s executive chairman Rupert Murdoch, as reported by the i newspaper, where Murdoch asserted that the Google-owned service was establishing a “dangerous precedent” and engaging in “censorship of free speech and legitimate national debate”.

In a statement released today confirming the reinstatement of TalkRadio’s account, a YouTube spokesperson communicated:

The specific exception YouTube is applying in TalkRadio’s case to justify restoring the station remains unclear, considering opinion-based radio programming could fall into various categories depending on the particular content.

As per the i, TalkRadio had previously received warnings in October and December for violations of YouTube policies. The third warning, which resulted in its (temporary) suspension, is believed to be connected to an interview between one of its hosts, Julia Hartley-Brewer, and former National Education Union president Amanda Martin, discussing the prioritization of teachers for COVID-19 vaccinations.

The reversal of the TalkRadio ban is the latest development in an ongoing series of instances where tech giant content moderation decisions have clashed with concerns about freedom of expression—even while the content platforms allow to remain online can often be equally contentious. (The heightened concern regarding public health risks from the spread and amplification of coronavirus misinformation online has undoubtedly introduced additional challenges to standard platform moderation practices.)

A recurring concern is that powerful, private organizations—which are not subject to the same regulations as (U.K.) broadcasters—continue to control the boundaries of “acceptable speech”.

Changes are underway in the U.K., however: The government is developing a legislative proposal to bring major tech companies under the regulatory oversight of Ofcom. (As TalkRadio noted in its initial statement, its own broadcasts are already regulated by Ofcom.)

The Online Safety Bill, scheduled to be presented to parliament this year, will introduce a “duty of care” for tech platforms to safeguard users from a variety of illegal and harmful content. 

Under this proposal, Ofcom will monitor platforms’ adherence to the rules and gain the authority to block access to digital services that do not comply, as well as the power to impose substantial financial penalties for violations.