It seems that YouTube has been removing hundreds of videos showing robots battling other robots.

Why?

Well, their new algorithm is claiming it’s a breach in their rules surrounding animal cruelty.

Channels that post robot combat videos have noticed their content being removed and were not happy about it

Hey @YouTube, your new algorithm is removing robot combat videos (akin to Robot Wars, Battlebots etc) under the pretence of animal cruelty, animal fighting and such. A lot of independent content creators are losing out here. Please fix/restore for the sanity of fans and builders!

— Caley Creations (@CaleyCreations) August 20, 2019

YouTube sent out notices explaining why the videos were in breach of the community guidelines, specifically citing the same section of the guidelines in each notice:
“Content that displays the deliberate infliction of animal suffering or the forcing of animals to fight is not allowed on YouTube.”

“Examples include, but are not limited to, dogfighting and cockfighting.” But this is robot fighting.
YouTube says that the videos were likely removed in error.

Seems like theirs an error in their new algorithm.