Twitter has banned all links to the video-sharing site BitChute, in another crackdown by Big Tech against alternative tech companies.
BitChute serves as an alternative platform to YouTube, where creators can upload their videos without the worry of censorship. However, this of course, can’t protect BitChute itself from being deplatformed from Big Tech sites, such as Twitter.
“It appears as if Twitter has started blocking all Tweets that contain BitChute videos,” the official BitChute account tweeted on Friday morning, encouraging Twitter users to try posting a tweet with any link to their site.
“In just 5 months BitChute has doubled its montly traffic from 15 million monthly visitors to 30 million monthly visitors,” the account continued. “Despite all obstacles Silicon Valley has placed in our way we have continued to grow and we will continue to grow.”
“Don’t let the authoritarians win,” they added.
Many Twitter users then proceeded to post examples, including independent reporter Tim Pool. When trying to post a BitChute link, users would see an error message, claiming that “something went wrong, but don’t fret – let’s give it another shot.”
Another message sometimes also appears, saying that Twitter can’t complete the request “because this link has been identified by Twitter or our partners as being potentially harmful.”
In fact, the censorship is not limited to new links either. Previously tweeted BitChute links now have a warning that the link may be “unsafe.” The potential reasons given include “malicious links that could steal personal information; spammy links that mislead people or disrupt their experience; violent or misleading content that could lead to real-world harm.”