YouTube Appears To Be Monetizing Official Iranian Accounts

Like the US war with Iran continues to spread throughout the Middle Easta new study shared exclusively by WIRED shows that YouTube is hosting and probably benefiting from many channels linked to Groups recognized by the US linked to the Iranian government, including many with direct ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The researchfrom the non-profit organization Tech Transparency Project, has identified more than 75 systems that appear to be operated by organizations approved by the Treasury Department of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which has been pressuring Iran for years.

These videos are monetized, meaning that YouTube runs ads on their monetized videos. The researchers wrote ads for companies ranging from Subaru to Verizon, TurboTax, the weight-loss drug Ozempic, and fast-food chain KFC. In one instance, the investigators saw an advertisement for US Customs and Border Protection running on a video produced by Iran’s Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Handicrafts.

“This means that YouTube placed ads paid for by US taxpayers in the direction of the Iranian government,” the researchers wrote. US Customs and Border Protection did not respond to a request for comment.

“Many of these YouTube channels include Iranian individuals and organizations that are not only sanctioned by the US sanctions against Iran, but sanctioned by OFAC under various sanctions, including terrorism, dissidents, human rights violations, or what is being said by the Iranian government in general,” said Kian Meshkat, a US financial analyst.

Google spokesman Nate Funkhouser said: “Google is committed to enforcing applicable laws and regulations. If we find an account in violation of our policies, we take action.”

YouTube was officially banned in Iran in 2012, but it continues to be used by the government to spread propaganda. His Google articles for publishingwhich operates on YouTube, clearly states that the company’s advertising tools “cannot be used or substituted for” Iranian parties.

In 2024, YouTube took action, close the account cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran. “Due to the sanctions imposed by the US, Iranian government channels are not allowed on YouTube,” the company said at the time.

TTP researchers found the names of people who were directly approved by the US as a threat to national security, as well as accounts that appear to be managed by Iranian government officials, and identified 84 channels. All of them showed advertisements in their video clips, including online ads, internal ads, and YouTube Shorts ads.

Some of the people who were punished were Chapter of Howa businessman who is helping Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps escape punishment; Ali Akbar Velayatian adviser to Iran’s new supreme leader who threatened US forces in the region; and Naji Sharifi Zindashti, who is accused of plotting to attack the Iranian people outside of killing, including two residents of Maryland.

Al-Mustafa International University, an Iranian Islamic secondary school was launched in 2020 for teaching and recruiting foreign intellectuals, they have at least four YouTube channels, according to researchers, including English and French channels. The channels, which feature educational and educational videos, were funded by in-house and in-grocery advertising, including ads for BJ’s Wholesale Club and Warner Bros.’ horror movie They will kill you.

Some of the government agencies identified as having YouTube channels that show ads were Iran’s Counterterrorism Special Forceswho have been accused of using force to kill unarmed people. Iran’s news agency, Fars News Agency, is well-known spreading false and fake newsIt also has YouTube’s way of showing ads.