In an era of increasing censorship and ever-changing platform policies, Guns.com has announced that it will no longer be posting videos on YouTube. After years of building an impressive library of over 2,000 videos, nearly 400,000 subscribers, 120 million views, and 4.4 million viewing hours, Guns.com has faced significant challenges on the platform. Despite their best efforts to comply with YouTube’s guidelines, the channel is now at risk of being unpublished due to the threat of one more content strike.
Like many firearm content creators, Guns.com has seen videos removed and faced periods of being unable to post due to unclear policy changes. In one striking example, a video reviewing three firearms over 100 years old was removed, leaving the team uncertain about what YouTube will allow. As they put it, “We’re not even sure there are goalposts… we’re trying to kick a field goal blindfolded.”
Rather than risking their channel, Guns.com has made the decision to move its content to platforms that respect both First and Second Amendment rights, such as Rumble and X (formerly known as Twitter). While they acknowledge that YouTube, as a private organization, can enforce its own rules, Guns.com is exercising its right to choose platforms that align with their values.
This move reflects a broader issue faced by many in the firearm content community. With nearly 300,000 subscribers on the USA Carry channel, we have also experienced the same frustrations. Following YouTube’s guidelines to the letter doesn’t always guarantee safety from strikes or removals. The challenge is compounded by the fact that YouTube remains the dominant platform for video content, meaning creators are forced to choose between maintaining revenue and moving to alternative platforms that have significantly smaller audiences.
As the industry continues to grapple with these obstacles, it remains a difficult space to navigate. Until there is a shift in how these platforms treat firearm content, creators like us, Guns.com—and many others—are left to decide between staying on platforms with mass reach but unpredictable policies or moving to spaces with less viewership but greater freedom to express and share their passion for the Second Amendment.
The fight to remain “unapologetically American” continues, and Guns.com’s decision is a significant step in that journey.
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