[koheripbal]

Google has major investments in China. Looking at "Youtube" in a bubble doesn't tell the whole story.

I don't think "conspiracy theory" is correct - it's simply a private business doing what's best for itself financially.

Google isn't some government institution. ...or is it?

[wongarsu]

If the CCP says "if you delete anti-CCP content on Youtube we will act more favorably towards your other enterprises in China" and Google does just that, that's a conspiracy. I'm not so sure if that's what's going on, but it seems probable enough to consider.

[seph-reed]

define: conspire

intransitive verb - To plan together secretly to commit an illegal or wrongful act or accomplish a legal purpose through illegal action.

intransitive verb - To join or act together; combine.

intransitive verb - To plan or plot secretly.

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Governments conspire. If they do it well, you can not prove it, only theorize. "Conspiracy theories"

[msla]

Another definition:

A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that invokes a conspiracy by sinister and powerful groups, often political in motivation, when other explanations are more probable.

[seph-reed]

You're defining a bad conspiracy theory. Most (but not all) of them are bad. Some of them have been true.

To say all conspiracy theories are bad is to say the government never conspires, or at least nobody ever correctly theorizes about it. Seems unlikely.

[msla]

No, I'm simply using the noun phrase the way normal people use it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory

and check out the citations.