Coronavirus: YouTube To Ban Misleading Covid-19 Vaccine Content
Anti-vaxxer setback after YouTube confirms it will begin removing videos containing misinformation about Coronavirus vaccines
Alphabet’s Google division has expanded its fight against misinformation being spread on its YouTube platform during the global Coronavirus pandemic.
YouTube had already banned ‘medically unsubstantiated’ claims relating to Covid-19 on its platform, but now it has one step further to ban misleading content relating to vaccines.
During 2020 there has been a worrying amount of online content about the virus that was either misleading or inaccurate. In early April for example YouTube also banned all conspiracy theory videos that falsely link 5G networks to the spread of Coronavirus.
Coronavirus rules
But now according to Reuters, YouTube in a blog post on Wednesday it would remove videos from YouTube containing misinformation about covid-19 vaccines.
It reportedly said it would now ban any content with claims about Coronavirus vaccines that contradict consensus from local health authorities or the World Health Organisation (WHO).
YouTube said in a blog post that this would include removing claims that the vaccine will kill people or cause infertility, or that microchips will be implanted in people who receive the vaccine.
A YouTube spokesman told Reuters that general discussions in videos about “broad concerns” over the vaccine would remain on the platform.
YouTube also reportedly said it had removed over 200,000 videos related to dangerous or misleading Covid-19 information since early February.
