-
-
-
Loading
Loading
YouTube has permanently terminated the official channel of TB Joshua's megachurch, the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), for violating its hate speech policies. The termination comes after an investigation by the BBC and openDemocracy exposed widespread sexual abuse and torture conducted by the late Nigerian televangelist. Emmanuel TV, the church's media platform, played a crucial role in Joshua's ascent to global fame. Although the church has not released any statements regarding the channel's removal, it has previously dismissed allegations of wrongdoing as unfounded. Emmanuel TV had garnered over 500,000 followers and amassed hundreds of millions of views before its termination, making this its second suspension in three years for breaching YouTube's community guidelines. During the investigation, openDemocracy discovered at least 50 abusive videos on the channel and promptly reported them to YouTube, resulting in the account's suspension. The Google-owned platform confirmed that Emmanuel TV was terminated due to hate speech violations. Notably, TB Joshua was renowned for his "healing" ministries, which included videos of him purportedly curing the disabled and chronically ill. However, several former church members have debunked these claims. The content reported by openDemocracy encompassed videos showing individuals with mental health issues confined in chains, instances of medical misinformation, and smear campaigns against women who spoke out about Joshua's sexual abuse. In addition to YouTube's actions, MultiChoice, the South African company behind popular satellite services DStv and GOTv, removed Emmanuel TV's satellite channel in January. The channel had enjoyed immense success, broadcasting to a vast global audience for many years. Following the BBC's exposé on Joshua, numerous individuals who contributed to the investigation faced trolling from church and Emmanuel TV affiliated accounts online. These accounts were also flagged to YouTube by openDemocracy but remain active. The incident underscores the mounting concern surrounding the online safety policies of social media platforms like YouTube.