Google has removed nearly 11,000 YouTube channels and other accounts during the second quarter of 2025 as part of its continued crackdown on state-sponsored disinformation.
According to data from Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) and a recent report by CNBC, the tech giant took down accounts linked to coordinated influence operations from China, Russia, and other state actors.
Of the total, over 7,700 YouTube channels were linked to China. These channels posted content in both Chinese and English, often praising Chinese President Xi Jinping, promoting the People’s Republic of China, and commenting on U.S. foreign policy in a manner that favored Beijing’s geopolitical narrative.
Another 2,000+ accounts were tied to Russian disinformation efforts, many of which shared multilingual content that supported Russia’s actions in Ukraine while criticizing NATO, the West, and democratic institutions.
Also notable in Google’s report is the removal of 20 YouTube channels, 4 Ads accounts, and 1 Blogger blog linked to RT (Russia Today), a Russian state media outlet already banned from YouTube since March 2022.
RT’s U.S. Influence Network Revealed
These accounts were part of a broader influence campaign involving Tenet Media, a U.S.-based production company that allegedly received $10 million in covert funding from RT to pay conservative influencers to produce pro-Russian content ahead of the 2024 U.S. election.
Google’s Threat Analysis Group said the operation aimed to exploit public opinion in the U.S. and influence voter perception by pushing Kremlin-aligned narratives disguised as independent commentary.
Beyond China and Russia, Google also identified and removed influence operations originating from Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Israel, Ghana, and Romania.
Several of these campaigns were focused on targeting political rivals and pushing polarizing content related to ongoing geopolitical conflicts.
The company stated that these takedowns are part of an ongoing, global effort to combat state-linked manipulation and maintain trust in its platforms.
“YouTube began blocking RT channels in 2022, and the findings from this latest report are in line with our expectations from this regular and ongoing work,” said a YouTube spokesperson.
Earlier this year, Google had already removed more than 23,000 accounts in Q1 2025 tied to similar threats.
Meanwhile, Meta has also been cleaning house. The company disclosed that it removed nearly 10 million accounts through mid-2025.
These profiles were largely involved in impersonating creators and spreading spammy, recycled content across Facebook and Instagram. About 500,000 additional accounts were flagged for inauthentic behavior and had their content reach limited.
