YouTube Is Under Fire After 'Anti-Gay' Ads Appear On Videos

1 June 2018, 14:23 | Updated: 6 June 2018, 09:31

By Benedict Townsend

"i mean that’s just plain and simple homophobia right?! the platform we use is homophobic?"

YouTubers have taken to social media to report that they are getting anti-LGBT ads served to them on their YouTube videos.

If you're a fan of JBU, have you been seeing anti-gay ads before our videos? Some viewers just alerted me to this and other youtubers are having this problem too.
— GABY 🏳️‍🌈 (@gabydunn) June 1, 2018

Gay YouTuber Stevie Boebi shared the following screenshot, which shows a pre-roll ad that played before an Anna Akana video:

I just found one playing in front of an @AnnaAkana video 😡 pic.twitter.com/pVNUARTVGU
— Stevie 🔮 (@stevieboebi) June 1, 2018

It shows an ad for Alliance Defending Freedom, an American conservative Christian group that is firmly against gay marriage, gay adoption and a host of other LGBTQ+ issues. The Southern Poverty Law Centre, a prestigious American organisation that tracks hate groups has deemed the ADF "a hate group".

This particular ad that played in front of Anna's video is an extract from a video the group produced called 'Should The Government Force People To Create Art That Violates Their Beliefs?', which tells the story of a real woman who refused to create floral arrangements for a same-sex wedding because of her religious beliefs.

This video argues she was right to do so.

Personal morality aside, such a decision does not appear to match up with US law, with the Washington Supreme Court finding against the woman in 2017. The woman is now taking her case the US Supreme Court in a last attempt to win her case.

And that wasn't the only ad

@ChaseRoss @youtube so YouTube will push religion and anti gay beliefs but heaven forbid it (see my pun) if a kid gets helpful information about theirselves pic.twitter.com/zi8My7sdyj
— Jace Aarons (@JaceAarons) May 31, 2018

YouTubers quickly hit back against YouTube

how the actual fuck is YouTube automatically branding anything LGBTQ+ not suitable for advertising

and yet allowing anti-gay (ANTI GAY?!! what is this the 1940s?!) adverts on our videos?!

i mean that’s just plain and simple homophobia right?! the platform we use is homophobic? https://t.co/4W5jYJ0dLP
— dodie (@doddleoddle) June 1, 2018

I’m gonna give YouTube the benefit of the doubt and assume the anti-gay adverts I’m seeing are a mistake. Please correct this @TeamYouTube, your LGBT+ content creators don’t want these adverts on our videos, especially not in pride month. Thanks 👍🏼🏳️‍🌈
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) June 1, 2018

I've been trying to contact peeps at YouTube who told me to "please reach out" after the Safe Mode bs blew up but all of them are on annual leave 😑
— Rowan Ellis 🌈 (@HeyRowanEllis) June 1, 2018