Windows 11 videos demonstrating account and hardware requirements bypass purged from YouTube creator's channel — platform says content ‘encourages dangerous or illegal activities that risk serious physical harm or death’

A YouTube creator’s videos, posted just days apart and demonstrating how to bypass Microsoft’s Windows 11 limitations, were removed for allegedly violating the platform’s community guidelines. Rich, the creator behind the channel CyberCPU Tech, suspected that the takedown of the first YouTube video, a guide on how to log in to Windows 11 using only a local account, was due to YouTube’s AI algorithm flagging it as a false positive. However, he also said that he hoped his next video, which showed how to bypass Windows 11’s hardware requirements, wouldn’t get flagged. Sure enough, Rich posted another YouTube video complaining exactly about this. He changed his tune this time, though, alleging Microsoft is likely behind the action.

Unfortunately, the creator said YouTube didn't give him a clear reason for the takedowns, so his direct allegations are guesswork. “Ultimately, like I stated before, I understand that this is YouTube’s playground. If they don’t want these types of videos on their platform, then we won’t make those types of videos on their platform,” said Rich. He also added, “So, yes, I’m irritated that I have to self-censor myself on YouTube…But I’m going to swallow my pride, and I’m going to do what YouTube wants. It would just be nice to know if this is actually what YouTube wants, because again, they’re unwilling to tell me what I did wrong. I have to make assumptions and guess.”

Rich claims that YouTube did not tell him the exact reason for the take-down. When he appealed the decision, the response was “Again, the warning strike you received was issued based on a violation of Harmful or Dangerous Content which prohibits content that encourages or promotes behavior that encourages dangerous or illegal activities that risk serious physical harm or death.” This reason does not make sense — after all, bypassing Microsoft’s account requirement for Windows 11 and installing the operating system on a computer that does not have TPM 2.0 definitely doesn't risk physical harm or death, although the exact legality of it does vary by local law.

We’re still unsure who’s behind the take-down. After all, this isn’t like the multiple instances where Nintendo requested emulation videos to be taken down, which are on the murkier side of copyright law. It could either be an overzealous AI working behind the scenes at YouTube or Microsoft quietly asking YouTube to remove videos that would bypass its Windows 11 requirements. But without confirmation from either company, we can only guess the real reason why they were removed.

It's unfortunate timing for Microsoft, which has been encouraging its customers to upgrade from Windows 10 as the operating system's support ends. Windows 11 requirements, both hardware- and account-wise, are turning off a lot of people, with some who can afford new hardware to upgrade opting for Macs and MacBooks instead of the Copilot+ PCs that Redmond has been pushing since last year.

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