YouTube to take down vaccine misinformation videos

YouTube is set to take down vaccine misinformation videos.

Google owned YouTube will be removing videos that spread misinformation surrounding all vaccines. The company will be taking down videos starting on Wednesday, September 29.

The company will crack down on coronavirus misinformation too. The site previously banned Covid jab falsehoods and it has now gone a step further. YouTube will remove any content that alleges that approved vaccines are dangerous.

Previously YouTube had used a demotion system which meant that content was effectively hidden. This was being used to hide videos which promoted vaccine reluctance. It also covered any false non-Covid vaccine information.

Covid vaccine misinformation videos were banned on YouTube last year. Since the ban around 130,000 pieces of content have been removed.

The global head of trust and safety at YouTube, Matt Halprin explained how misinformation regarding vaccines was a problem across the globe. He commented on how initially this had started with Covid jab misinformation.

Halprin said: “Vaccine misinformation appears globally, it appears in all countries and cultures.”

He also commented on the misinformation surrounding the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. YouTube will target content which falsely claims that the MMR jab can cause autism.

He said: “There is still a lot of challenges around MMR and people arguing whether that causes autism. And as we know, the science is very stable that vaccines do not cause autism.”

YouTube will also be removing misleading content such as claims of vaccines containing microchips and causing cancer.


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Alex
Written by

Alex Glenn

Originally from the UK, Alex is based in Almeria and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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