New York. YouTube will allow creators previously banned for spreading COVID-19 and election misinformation to return to the platform, its parent company Alphabet said Tuesday.

In a letter responding to subpoenas from the House Judiciary Committee, Alphabet attorneys said the move reflects the company’s commitment to free speech. The company emphasized that it values conservative voices on the platform and recognizes their influence in civic discourse.

“No matter the political atmosphere, YouTube will continue to enable free expression on its platform, particularly as it relates to issues subject to political debate,” the letter stated.

The decision is the latest in a wave of content moderation rollbacks by major tech firms. Companies that once aggressively targeted misinformation during the pandemic and after the 2020 election have since faced mounting pressure from former President Donald Trump and other conservatives, who argue that moderation policies unfairly silenced right-wing voices.

The policy shift comes as tech leaders, including Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, seek closer ties with Trump, making campaign contributions and attending events in Washington.

YouTube ended its policy in 2023 that barred claims the 2020 US presidential election, or other past elections, were tainted by widespread fraud. The platform in 2024 also retired its standalone COVID-19 misinformation rules, folding them into a broader medical misinformation framework.

Among those banned under the previous policies were high-profile conservative commentators, including Dan Bongino, now deputy director of the FBI. For social media personalities, reinstatement on YouTube could mean significant revenue from advertising.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and other Republicans have accused the Biden administration of coercing tech companies to suppress lawful speech. Alphabet’s attorneys echoed that criticism, writing that senior officials “conducted repeated and sustained outreach” to pressure YouTube into removing pandemic-related videos that did not violate company rules.

“It is unacceptable and wrong when any government, including the Biden administration, attempts to dictate how the Company moderates content, and the Company has consistently fought against those efforts on First Amendment grounds,” the letter said.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also alleged that Biden officials pressured Facebook to overreach in removing COVID-19 posts. Elon Musk has similarly accused the FBI of leaning on Twitter, before his ownership, to suppress stories about Hunter Biden.

The Supreme Court last year sided with the Biden administration in a case brought by Republican-led states over the government’s role in curbing social media misinformation.

YouTube did not immediately respond to a request for details about the reinstatement process.

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