YouTube and the other social platforms are a lot like hospitals. Third parties , so-called “content creators”, produce the content without any charge to the platform, and then deliver it to their audience for the creators’ ultimate benefit, whether the benefit is measured in a share of ad revenue, through driving viewers to the creators’ off-platform sales funnel, or just popularity.
At the same time, because the platform is YouTube or Facebook or another such business, it can decide in the blink of an eye that it no longer wants your content, or that they no longer want the content from you, but, rather, from someone else, perhaps from someone under their control.
This is nearly analogous that is to the fact that independent physicians, whether hospital-based or office-based, deliver their services, services rendered for their own financial benefit, at a platform known as a hospital. Yes, there are some distinctions and it’s not an exact analogy, but it’s certainly close enough.
How different is so called de-platforming or demonetization or cancellation in the social media context from de-platforming or demonetization or cancellation in the context of a hospital pulling the rug out from under an anesthesia group with an exclusive contract, or even from a group of heart surgeons who’ve been based out of a building on the hospital’s campus for 17 years? There is none.
Because neither social media platforms nor hospitals are utilities which must serve all, or common carriers, like railroads, which must carry all freight, social media creators, including those chiropractors selling vitamins on YouTube, and medical groups, doing business via a hospital’s platform, must have other avenues to deliver their “product“ in the event of cancellation.
YouTube cancelling Dr. X about something she said is equivalent to a hospital cancelling you because of something you said or did or didn’t do or won’t do for less.
Think about it.
The solution is the same.
Just like any chiropractor selling liver cleanses on YouTube knows that he needs to also be on multiple other platforms to hedge his risk, you should know that you’ve got to have multiple platforms, i.e., facilities, at which to provide your services in order to hedge your risk.
