For a long time, getting a strike on YouTube meant more than just a penalty. If a creator broke the rules in a serious way, their channel and all their work could be wiped out for good. Now, that’s changing.

YouTube has started a new policy that gives some banned creators a chance to return. The platform’s new pilot program allows certain permanently terminated creators to request a fresh start with a brand-new channel, but this isn’t a free-for-all comeback. According to YouTube, the new program allows eligible creators who’ve been kicked off the platform for policy violations to apply for a new account after at least one year. If approved, they’ll begin from scratch, meaning no old videos, subscribers, or revenue will be carried over. YouTube also says that old videos can only be reuploaded if they now follow the current community guidelines.

However, YouTube is drawing firm boundaries. The program excludes channels that were removed for severe offenses like copyright violations, abuse of the Creator Responsibility policy, or repeated and egregious misconduct. Creators who deleted their own accounts won’t qualify either. The option to request a new channel will appear in YouTube Studio on desktop, but only for creators who meet all requirements.

A political U-turn?

This change follows growing political scrutiny in the US, particularly from Republican lawmaker Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who has accused YouTube of unfairly censoring conservative voices during the pandemic and the 2020 election. In a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, Alphabet’s legal counsel confirmed that YouTube would provide a second chance for creators banned under YouTube’s now-retired COVID-19 and election misinformation rules. Those policies have since been rewritten or scrapped entirely. Interestingly, YouTube’s official announcement didn’t mention politics or those past guidelines, but Alphabet’s response to Congress confirms the connection.

YouTube says it wants to balance holding creators accountable with giving them a chance to come back. The company recognizes that permanent bans are sometimes needed, but they can be too strict, especially as rules change. For creators who have lived with the finality of a ban, this is a monumental change. The ball is now in their court to prove they deserve it.