Podcast: Forgotten Weapons’ Ian McCollum on YouTube’s Silencer Video Takedowns

This week we’re focused on YouTube’s erratic moderation of silencers.

The social media giant began deleting videos and even whole channels that featured silencers, often called suppressors, from their site a few weeks back. Then, after public outcry and an inquiry from The Reload, the company reversed course. But the damage to trust many gun creators had in the platform was already done by then.

Ian McCollum, who had one of his suppressor videos from Forgotten Weapons deleted, joins the podcast to talk about the ordeal. He explains how this is not the first time YouTube has targeted gun channels with unclear policies. In fact, he said he’s been dealing with these problems nearly the entire time he’s been on the platform.

That’s why he’s attempted to diversify where his content is hosted over the years. He’s also taken to using alternative means for growing a sustainable income outside of YouTube in order to mitigate against the video company’s impact on his ability to make the content he and his audience love. At the same time, he said he remains on YouTube because it’s by far the largest platform out there and it’s important to go where the audience is.

He also shares some insight into what he has planned for the future of Forgotten Weapons. Both the long-term vision for the company and some hints at upcoming videos.

Plus, Contributing Writer Jake Fogleman and I talk about how the NRA managed to lose over a million members in just 4 years.

You can listen to the show on your favorite podcasting site or by clicking here. Video of the episode is available on our YouTube channel. Reload Members get access on Sunday (Go Birds!). Everyone else will get it on Monday.

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Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

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Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Comments From Reload Members

6 Responses

  1. Re: Status of NRA Museums’ Collections (as mentioned on podcast).

    I’d be very interested in your investigative reporting on this issue. There are rumors that the collections are being liquidated to cover NRA operating deficits, and further rumors that certain Board members have been bribed with opportunities to purchase items from the collections at far below market—up to and including outright gifts.

    The NRA Museums Division is the custodian of approximately 10,000 firearms, which it holds in trust for the public good. Many individuals have donated their historic collections to the Museums with the expectation that these treasures will be permanently conserved.

    If there is any truth to these rumors, it would represent a profound breach of the NRA Board’s fiduciary duties.

    1. The board approved a resolution where it gave up oversight of the museum collection. So, LaPierre now has total control over what to do with it. I don’t have evidence of anything else newsworthy on that front. But I’d encourage people to send me any evidence they have of wrongdoing with the collection or any information on what’s happening with it right now.

    1. I would like to see Othais’s take on ewetoob. C&Rsenal are the ultimate long-form deep-dive gun channel, and Othais is a VERY thoughtful observer of the current predicament. Ian mentioned him for a reason.
    2. I have moved all of my direct support of creatives to Utreon.
    3. I am both saddened and exhilarated by the NRA’s current situation. Saddened because I remember growing up in the NRA. Shooting 3-position rifle and bullseye pistol. It took me quite a while to figure out that they had lost their collective mind in Cincinnati in ’77. And exhilarated that the membership is figuring out that they have become a self-serving harem to worship The Great & Mighty Wayne. I realize that the alternatives are much smaller, but at least they have their priorities straight!
    4. Maybe the three “wisemen” should consider combining for the common good…
    1. Good advice for a potential future guest. I’ll look into him. And I agree that supporting creators directly is the best path to ensuring they can keep doing what they’re doing. Everything else relies on some platform’s whims.

  2. Stephen, you certainly provided us with the definition of insanity as it concerns the NRA likely to continue doing what has pissed off Life Members like myself.Based on your thorough report, the NRA elephant will continue eating until it exhausts its food supply.

    What you did not mention – though obvious – is the fact that the NRA will likely be paying higher interest rates as the Federal Reserve continues raising interest rates. Can the NRA be as dumb as Biden who is routinely using the Strategic Oil Reserve and other dumb things to ruin America and lower our standard of living?

    Dumber yet I turned in my NRA ballot and likely voted for many of these Board Members that are Wayne’s puppets. I deserve to have my ass kicked for that.

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