YouTube, owned by Alphabet, has announced that it will offer creators a way to rejoin the streaming platform if they were previously banned for violating COVID-19 and election misinformation policies that are no longer enforce. This decision comes as part of tech companies’ rollbacks on content moderation after facing pressure from conservatives, including former President Donald Trump. The move reflects YouTube’s commitment to free speech and valuing conservative voices on its platform, recognizing their important role in civic discourse.

The letter from Alphabet’s attorneys, submitted in response to subpoenas from the House Judiciary Committee, highlighted the platform’s decision to ease restrictions on content related to COVID-19 and election misinformation. This announcement also comes amidst allegations from tech CEOs, such as Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai, of government officials attempting to coerce companies into removing certain content. The reinstatement process for banned creators on YouTube has not been fully detailed, with a spokesperson for the platform yet to provide further information.