YOUTUBE has taken down the official channel of TB Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations (Scoan) for violating its hate speech policies. This action follows a joint investigation by the BBC and openDemocracy that uncovered evidence of extensive sexual abuse and torture associated with the late televangelist. Emmanuel TV, a key platform in Joshua’s global prominence, had more than half a million followers and hundreds of millions of views.
TB Joshua passed away in 2021, and his church, now led by his wife Evelyn Joshua, has not commented on the removal. This is the second instance in three years that Emmanuel TV’s YouTube channel faced suspension due to breaches of community guidelines.
During the investigation, openDemocracy identified over 50 ‘abusive’ videos on Emmanuel TV’s YouTube, reporting them to the platform. The channel was subsequently suspended on January 29. YouTube, owned by Google, cited violation of hate speech policies as the reason for termination.
TB Joshua gained fame for his ‘healing’ ministries, but the investigation revealed debunked claims of curing disabilities and illnesses. The flagged content included videos depicting individuals with mental health issues in chains, medical misinformation, and smear campaigns against women exposing TB Joshua’s sexual abuse.
In addition to the YouTube removal, MultiChoice, the South African company operating DStv and GOTv, dropped Emmanuel TV’s satellite channel on January 17. Despite the BBC’s investigation, online trolling by church-affiliated accounts persists on social media platforms, with openDemocracy reporting the accounts to YouTube, according to a BBC report.
This move adds to the ongoing scrutiny of social media platforms over their online safety policies, particularly in addressing hate speech and harmful content.