YouTube is profiting from Joey Barton’s controversial comments following his conviction for offensive posts targeting female TV personalities. The former footballer, aged 43, manipulated images of Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward onto pictures of notorious criminals Fred and Rose West. Recent revelations show that YouTube has been placing ads on Barton’s videos, where he made derogatory remarks about Aluko and Lauren James, as well as inappropriate jokes about exploiting roles in women’s football for personal gain.
The End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) has urged YouTube to demonetize Barton’s channel and reconsider hosting his content due to its harmful and misogynistic nature. Director Andrea Simon emphasized the need for platforms like YouTube to enforce their terms and conditions, calling for stricter measures to prevent the spread of such offensive material.
Barton was found guilty of six counts of sending grossly offensive posts towards Aluko, Ward, and Jeremy Vine, including inappropriate comparisons and derogatory comments. Despite being cleared of some charges, Barton’s actions were deemed to have crossed the line between free speech and criminal behavior by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court.
Following his conviction, advertisements were observed on Barton’s YouTube channel, “Common Sense with Joey Barton,” which boasts over 55,000 subscribers. In videos, Barton criticized female football and made disrespectful comments about women’s appearances and roles in the sport. His behavior has sparked concerns about the safety and integrity of female athletes in the industry.
Barton’s history of controversial behavior, including a previous assault conviction, raises questions about YouTube’s policy on acceptable content. While creators like Barton can earn money through advertising on the platform, guidelines prohibit content that shames or insults individuals or groups based on intrinsic attributes. The exact earnings from Barton’s channel remain undisclosed, but the platform’s association with his controversial content has drawn criticism and calls for stricter enforcement of community standards.
