Transthetics is a company that makes “innovative prosthetics for trans men et al.” Like many small businesses, they use YouTube to reach potential customers and share information with their community. But in April 2018, the channel was terminated due to “severe violations” of YouTube’s community guidelines on nudity and sexual content… because of a four-year-old video in which the creator reviewed and modeled underwear and its compatibility with prosthetics. Transthetics appealed YouTube’s decision, and the video was eventually reinstated.

But in October 2018, the account was suspended again, and Transthetics received a message that read: “YouTube is not the place for nudity, pornography or other sexually provocative content”—despite the fact that the video in question contained no nudity, pornography, or sexually provocative content. Transthetics was able successfully appeal again, but creator Alex notes that YouTube’s processes are inconsistent: the same video has triggered takedowns on multiple occasions, and each appeal has garnered different results. To mitigate harm, he operates a second backup channel.

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