Rumble’s CEO Chris Pavlovski responded to a letter from a committee chair in the United Kingdom parliament, who asked if Russell Brand would be able to continue making money on the platform following explosive accusations of sexual impropriety against Brand, according to a statement posted to Rumble’s Twitter.
“While Rumble obviously deplores sexual assault, rape, and all serious crimes, and believes that both alleged victims and the accused are entitled to a full and serious investigation, it is vital to note that recent allegations against Russell Brand have nothing to do with content on Rumble’s platform,” Pavlovski said.
Pavlovski’s words come in response to a letter Caroline Dinenage, the U.K.’s Chair of Culture, Media and Sports Committee, sent him.
“While we recognise that Rumble is not the creator of the content published by Mr. Brand, we are concerned that he may be able to profit from his content on the platform,” the letter reads.
“We would be grateful if you could confirm whether Mr. Brand is able to monetise his content, including his videos relating to the serious accusations against him,” Dinenage wrote. “If so, we would like to know whether Rumble intends to join YouTube in suspending Mr. Brand’s ability to earn money on the platform,” Dinenage wrote. (RELATED: Rumble Goes Public)
Rumble’s response to the UK Parliament’s letter to our CEO @chrispavlovski pic.twitter.com/iSCpHIHoU4
— Rumble – 🏴☠️ $RUM (@rumblevideo) September 20, 2023
“We regard it as deeply inappropriate and dangerous that the UK Parliament would attempt to control who is allowed to speak on our platform or to earn a living from doing so,” Pavlovski said. “Singling out an individual and demanding his ban is even more disturbing given the absence of any connection between the allegations and his content on Rumble. We don’t agree with the behavior of many Rumble creators, but we refuse to penalize them for actions that have nothing to do with our platform,” Pavlovski stated.
This refusal is at odds with YouTube’s strategy. The streaming site demonetized Brand because they said he violated their “Creator Responsibility Policy.”
“We don’t allow egregious behavior that has a large negative impact on the community,” the policy states
“Although it may be politically and socially easier for Rumble to join a cancel culture mob, doing so would be in violation of our company’s values and mission. We emphatically reject the UK Parliament’s demands,” Pavlovski concluded.