BREAKING: SoundCloud reverses ban of Andy Ngo’s podcast, Ngo cancels subscription anyway

In an apology issued by SoundCloud Wednesday, the platform states "We have conducted additional reviews of the account and found that our initial conclusions are not an accurate reflection of the hosted content. Although there is content dealing with sensitive topics available on the account, there is nothing that could be considered to have a clear intention to criticize, or demean any individual or group of individuals on the basis of their belonging to a protected group."

"We have therefore fully restored the account and it is available again for immediate use," the statement continues. "Reviewing reported content is not an automated process, so this takes time and unfortunately mistakes can happen."

Andy Ngo issued a statement on the decision reversal Wednesday, saying "I have informed SoundCloud I will be canceling my paid subscription and taking all my content off their platform."

On Ngo’s podcast, which premiered its latest episode over a year ago, hosted a variety of academics and thinkers from "the Intellectual Dark Web," including guests Michelle Malkin, Ben Shapiro, and Jordan Peterson, amongst others.

His most recent episode, airing in March 2020, questioned the parallels between violent extremists in radical Islam and Antifa. Ngo spoke with Imam "of Peace" Tawhidi, a Shi'a Muslim cleric who has attracted controversy for criticizing the mainstream Islamic culture.

In SoundCloud’s original ruling, there was no option for Ngo to appeal or seek further information.

His podcast reportedly "violating" the site's Terms of Use and Community Guidelines, which state that users must not use the platform to create content "that is abusive, libellous, defamatory, pornographic or obscene, that promotes or incites violence, terrorism, illegal acts, or hatred on the grounds of race, ethnicity, cultural identity, religious belief, disability, gender, identity or sexual orientation, or is otherwise objectionable in SoundCloud's reasonable discretion."

"We take the security of our community very seriously. We hope that you can understand that SoundCloud is a place for people to share content which respects our Terms of Use and Community Guidelines," SoundCloud’s original email read.