YouTube bans popular channels Screen Culture and KH Studio for flooding platform with AI trailers

YouTube bans two popular channels that created fake AI movie trailers

Google is generally happy to see people using generative AI tools to create content, and it's doubly happy when they publish it on its platforms. But there are limits to everything. Two YouTube channels that attracted millions of subscribers with AI-generated movie trailers have been shuttered. Screen Culture and KH Studio flooded the site with fake but often believable trailers. The channels, which had a combined audience of more than 2 million subscribers, became a thorn in Google's side in early 2025 when other YouTubers began griping about their sudden popularity in the age of AI. The channels produced videos with titles like "GTA: San Andreas (2025) Teaser Trailer" and "Malcom In The Middle Reboot (2025) First Trailer." Of course, neither of those projects exist, but that didn't stop them from appearing in user feeds. Google demonetized the channels in early 2025, forcing them to adopt language that made it clear they were not official trailers. The channels were able to monetize again, but the disclaimers were not consistently used. Indeed, many of the most popular videos from those channels in recent months included no "parody" or "concept trailer" disclosures. Now, visiting either channel's page on YouTube produces an error reading, "This page isn't available. Sorry about that. Try searching for something else."

YouTube Boots Two Channels for Posting Fake AI Film Trailers

Meara covers streaming service news for CNET. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism. When she's not writing, she likes to dote over her cat, sip black coffee and try out new horror movies. YouTube has taken action against two channels that used AI to produce fake movie trailers. A spokesperson for YouTube confirmed to CNET that the channels, Screen Culture and KH Studio, have been shut down. Don't miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source. The India and Georgia-based channels had a combined 2 million subscribers and garnered over a billion views collectively, according to Deadline. YouTube's move comes after the platform suspended ads on Screen Culture and KH Studio earlier this year, according to the Deadline report. "After their initial suspension, these channels made the necessary corrections in order to be readmitted into the YouTube Partner Program," said Jack Malon, a YouTube spokesperson, in a statement shared with CNET. "However, once monetizing again, they reverted to clear violations of our spam and misleading metadata policies, and as a result, they have been terminated from the platform." Viewing the channels now shows a message which reads, "This page isn't available. Sorry about that. Try searching for something else."

YouTube shut down two AI slop channels that pumped out fake movie trailers.

The Screen Culture and KH Studio YouTube pages have suddenly disappeared, taking their fake clips with them, reports Deadline. An earlier Deadline investigation showed how they operated, mixing official movie footage with AI-generated images, which some movie studios were profiting from by claiming the ad revenue they brought in. YouTube spokesperson Jack Malon provided this statement to The Verge: After their initial suspension, these channels made the necessary corrections in order to be readmitted into the YouTube Partner Program. However, once monetizing again, they reverted to clear violations of our spam and misleading metadata policies, and as a result, they have been terminated from the platform.

Tired of fake movie trailers? YouTube is finally deleting them

I'm often searching YouTube for the latest movie trailers, full of excitement for the next big release. However, I typically find the results full of AI-generated trailers, sometimes ranking higher than the real trailer from the studio's official channel. I bet you've experienced the same. Now, YouTube is finally doing something about that. As reported by Deadline, YouTube has closed two channels that specialize in these slop videos, Screen Culture and KH Studio. Together, the channels had over 2 million subscribers and over 1 billion views across thousands of videos. These fake trailers typically use small amounts of real footage or images alongside heavy use of AI-generation. Sometimes the trailers are for real upcoming shows or movies, like Supergirl and Avengers: Doomsday. Other times they are for entirely fictional productions, capitalizing on popular fancasting, like Sydney Sweeney in an adaptation of DC Comics' Power Girl or Keanu Reeves leading a Ghost Rider movie. The aim of these videos is clear: to deceive people into clicking and thinking they're watching something genuine, and thus generating ad revenue for the channels. If you're unfamiliar with the particular look that generative AI videos have, or aren't up to date with entertainment news, it's an easy mistake to make. I've had friends forward me these trailers, thinking they're real. Earlier this year, Deadline also reported that YouTube had suspended ad revenue on videos owned by Screen Culture and KH Studio. At the time, Deadline claimed that some studios like Warner Bros. Discovery and Sony had secretly asked YouTube to direct the ad revenue from these AI videos their way. Screen Culture and KH Studio returned to monetization after adding terms like "fan trailer" to the titles, but those tags weren't applied consistently recently. Now, when you visit the channels, you're met with the standard YouTube error screen that says, "This page isn't available." In my eyes, the closure of these channels is excellent. I hope YouTube not only sticks by the decision but also extends it to other channels that exist solely to pump out copyright-infringing videos that hold no cultural value. The platform should also force everyone to clearly disclose when they've used generative AI, like the video game storefront Steam does. That way, those who don't wish to consume it can avoid it. Sure, some modern trailers spoil movies, but at least you know you're watching real footage that genuinely comes from the movie. Or that the movie even exists in the first place! Source: Deadline