YouTube has taken action against channels linked to the far-right Republika party that it says violate its content policies.
The Slovak far-right party Republika, which was formed by breakaway members of Marian Kotleba's neo-fascist ĽSNS party, purports to support peace in Ukraine while simultaneously promoting views that deflect criticism of the Russian government and shift blame towards the West.
On Saturday, June 17, YouTube, the video platform owned by Google, removed several channels associated with the party, citing policy and content violations.
Among the deleted channels were ones operated by the alternative media outlets Kulturblog and Konzerva, as well as a fan channel featuring Republika member Milan Mazurek.
According to a report by news website Aktuality.sk, Mazurek stated that other channels were deleted by YouTube, but he did not specify which ones.
Pro-Russian narratives and criticism of the West
YouTube explained that the removal of the channels is part of an investigation into coordinated influence operations in Slovakia. The mention of such operations is significant, especially with the parliamentary elections due in September, suggesting that Google's expert team has identified deeper coordination behind the operations of the affected channels.
Republika propagates narratives in support of the Russian Federation, especially a desire for peace, while simultaneously criticising the European Union and NATO (Slovakia is a member of both), and strongly opposing military aid to Ukraine. Similar content can be found on Kulturblog, where party leader Milan Uhrík and prominent MP Milan Mazurek host regular shows.
Connections with Republika
All the blocked channels have personnel connections to Republika, reinforcing the association between these media platforms and the far-right movement. YouTube, in collaboration with its specialised Threat Analysis Group (TAG), is committed to uncovering government-backed hacking attacks and coordinated influence campaigns. TAG's objective is to identify specific actors involved in these activities and take appropriate measures within Google's services. The information it obtains is also shared with cybersecurity experts, contributing to broader efforts to ensure information security.
Proactive approach ahead of elections
YouTube's move, three months ahead of parliamentary elections in which Republika is predicted to win seats, marks a significant intervention. The site says that its aim is to foster a healthier information environment and uphold its content policies, address the spread of disinformation and harmful content, and take a proactive stance against coordinated influence operations on its platform in order to protect the integrity of the democratic process. The move underscores the growing awareness of the role that digital platforms can play in the manipulation of public opinion.
