I really thought we were done with this after the Acolyte got canceled and the lead actress once again accused the critics of being alt-right, "hyper-conservative" bigots. But apparently that wasn't quite the end because a group of Acolyte fans have decided to mob several YouTube channels that were critical of the show in order to get them canceled. Here's an example of what the campaign looks like. 

For too long #StarWars Fandom has been under attack by the lowest elements of @YouTube.

No more!

It’s time for @TeamYouTube to finally take action and hold the channels accountable. #StopMonetizingHate pic.twitter.com/hKfuNUV7G8

— The Star Wars Underworld (@TheSWU) September 4, 2024

Lots of people are sending this same form letter to YouTube.

I've spoken at length about all this in the past but the only way things get better is if @TeamYouTube does something to discourage this kind of content - until then it will only get worse. pic.twitter.com/Y5R3Ds796F

— Mollie Damon🎃 (@MollieDamon) September 4, 2024

it's time for you to be part of the solution @TeamYouTube

While you continue to allow these channels to be monetized, you are incentivizing hatred and racism pic.twitter.com/hA14n1YGxB

— Kyle Katarn (@Ky1eKatarn) September 4, 2024

I'm not going to transcribe the entire thing but it reads in part:

As fans of the Star Wars franchise, we have tirelessly witnessed a handful of YouTube creators continuously drive prolonged insults and harassment against marginalized actors and members of our community. Enough is enough. The Star Wars fandom demands that YouTube enforce its community guidelines against "prolonged insults" and incitement of targeted harassment towards women of color by demonetizing YouTube channels "Geeks + Gamers," "Ryan Kinsi - RK Outpost," and "Nerdrotic."

What follows is a list of particular offenses. What they leave out of course is that the star of the Acolyte put out a diss track calling her critics racist. That definitely brought more criticism to her and the show as many Star Wars fans understandably didn't appreciate it.

It's curious that they didn't include the YouTuber known as Star Wars Theory in this demand letter. He has the largest Star Wars channel on YouTube and he has been a consistent critic of the Acolyte. My guess is that they left him out because he's not white. That might make the charge of harassing "marginalized actors" a tough sell.

Anyway, it's another woke brigade looking to punish people who disagree with them. We've seen this many, many times before at this point. They've tried to claim that demonetizing these channels isn't the same as silencing them, but I think all three of the ones listed do this full time. This is their livelihood. So demonetizing would probably wind up silencing them eventually and the mob knows that.

Some of the YouTubers who are the subject of this campaign have already responded to the letter. Geeks and Gamers makes a pretty convincing case that the letter lies about what he has said in the past.

YouTube did respond to the campaign today and said they would not be removing anyone's content because it didn't violate their rules.

thanks for reaching out. just heard back and confirmed that this content is not violative & will remain up. we totally understand you may not agree with this decision, but we reviewed this video very carefully against our policies

— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) September 5, 2024

Naturally, supporters of canceling these channels are not happy.

Dear @TeamYouTube, you make money on the hate and don’t want to lose that income. This is a crap decision and you know it. https://t.co/qk5lOvv5aO

— Dragon Age Mama 🌿💍💚 (@BlueMilkMama) September 5, 2024

They mad.

Absolute bullshit, congrats I guess @TeamYouTube for letting the racists,bigoted, and right wing fucks stay on your platform spewing hatred and making money doing it. You could’ve done better by demonetizing them. @YouTube https://t.co/N5aiVD8exm

— StarWarsLoreGuy | 😍 Glen Powell Era (@StarWarsLoreGuy) September 6, 2024

I'll give the last word to Critical Drinker. He also disliked the Acolyte but the campaigners didn't target him specifically.

All this because of a shitty Star Wars show that nobody watched... https://t.co/uyKwah2BOL

— The Critical Drinker (@TheCriticalDri2) September 5, 2024

That's accurate. The Acolyte was the lowest rated Star Wars show Disney has produced. It was lowest rated because it was bad. The people saying it was bad are correct about that. The are also correct that woke politics played a big role in it being bad (more on that here). It's good that YouTube isn't giving in to the bullies, at least so far.