Policyband

Irate Sen. Rand Paul Ready to Strip YouTube's Legal Immunity over Controversial Maduro Video

Self-Described 'Libertarian/Conservative' to Pursue Legislation That Would Remove Sec. 230 Protections after a YouTube Video Led to Death Threats Against the Lawmaker

Ted Hearn

Jan 21, 2026 — 9 min read

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Google: He’s done. Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, is finished with Google and its YouTube video streaming subsidiary. For years, the self-described “libertarian/conservative” defended YouTube’s broad legal immunity under federal law, famously known as Sec. 230 or the 26 words that created the Internet. Not anymore. He’s changed his mind totally after receiving death threats because of a YouTube video accusing him of taking money from former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. YouTube refused to take down the video, which Paul in a New York Post Op-Ed on Monday said contained a “ludicrous accusation” spread by “paid trolls” attempting to tie him to treasonous conduct. “The arrogance of Google to continue hosting this defamatory video and the resultant threats on my life have caused me to rethink Congress’ blind allegiance to liability shields,” Paul wrote. (More after paywall.)