YouTube widens ban on misinformation to all vaccines, not ...

Google's YouTube said it'll no longer permit videos making false claims ... ban on misinformation to all vaccines, not just COVID shots. Xboxat20:Lookingback Xbox20thanniversary #CleanOutYourRefrigeratorDay PS5restocks BestBlackFridaydeals BlackFridayadscans YouTubewidensbanonmisinformationtoallvaccines,notjustCOVIDshots Google'sYouTubesaidit'llnolongerpermitvideosmakingfalseclaimsaboutexistingvaccinesthat'vebeenapprovedandfoundsafebyhealthauthorities. CarrieMihalcik, JoanE.Solsman Sept.29,20219:32a.m.PT CNET Forthemostup-to-datenewsandinformationaboutthecoronaviruspandemic,visittheWHOandCDCwebsites. YouTube isbroadeningitsrulesonmedicalmisinformationtocrackdownonvideoswithfalseclaimsaboutallestablishedvaccines,notjustCOVID-19vaccines.ThepolicychangepavesthewayforYouTubetopossiblycrimpfurtherproliferationofpersistentmythsandconspiraciesaboutvaccines,suchastheuntruebelieftheycauseautismorinfertility. YouTube,like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit andmanyotherinternetcompaniesthatgiveusersaplatformtoposttheirowncontent,hasgrappledwithhowtobalancefreedomofexpressionwitheffectivepolicingoftheworstmaterialpostedonitssite.Overtheyears,YouTubehasgrappledwithdifferentkindsof misinformation; conspiracytheories; discrimination; hate and harassment; childabuseandexploitation and videosofmassmurder,allatanunprecedentedglobalscale.CriticsofYouTubearguethatthecompany'scontentmoderationeffortsstillfallshorttoooften,orarrivetoolate.  GettheCNETCulturenewsletter Exploremovies,games,superheroesandmorewithCNETCulture.DeliveredTuesdaysandFridays. StartingWednesday,YouTubewilltakedownanyvideosallegingthatapprovedvaccinesdon'twork,aredangerous,causechronichealthproblemsorcontainharmfulingredients.TheruleappliesforvaccinesapprovedandconfirmedtobesafeandeffectivebylocalhealthauthoritiesandtheWorldHealthOrganization. "We'vesteadilyseenfalseclaimsaboutthecoronavirusvaccinesspilloverintomisinformationaboutvaccinesingeneral,andwe'renowatapointwhereit'smoreimportantthanevertoexpandtheworkwestartedwithCOVID-19toothervaccines,"thecompanysaidinablogpost. YouTubehastakendown130,000videosspecificallyforCOVID-vaccinemisinformationsincelastyear,thecompanysaidWednesday.Toputthatincontext,YouTubehaspreviouslysaiditgenerallyremovesnearly10milliontotalvideoseachquarteracrossthecategoriesofpolicyviolations.AndsinceFebruary2020,YouTubehasremovedmorethan1millionvideosrelatedto"dangerous"coronavirusinformation,suchasfalsecuresorclaimsofahoax,thecompanysaidinAugust.(PuttingthesenumbersinthegreatercontextofYouTube'sfullscopeisdifficultbecauseofthegargantuanscaleofGoogle'sservice,whichistheinternet'sbiggestsourceofvideo,withmorethan 2billionmonthlyusers.)YouTubesaidthenewpolicyappliestospecific,establishedimmunizationslikevaccinesformeaslesorHepatitisB.Butitalsoappliestofalseclaimsaboutestablishedvaccinesgenerally. Thenew,broaderpolicywillallowcontentaboutvaccinepolicies,newvaccinetrialsandhistoricalvaccinesuccessesorfailures.YouTubesaiditwouldmakeexceptionsforvideosthatincludesomemisinformationaboutvaccinesiftheyalsoincludecontextabout"countervailingviews"fromhealthauthoritiesinthevideoitself,initsaudioorinthetitleordescriptiontext. Personaltestimonialsrelatingtovaccineswillalsobeallowed,solongasthechanneldoesn'tshowapatternofpromotingvaccinehesitancyandthevideodoesn'tviolateanyotherofthesite'srules.  Seealso COVIDvaccinesaresafe.Thesesocialmediamythsaredangerousnonsense MisinformationhaspushedAmericandemocracytothebrink,formerCISAchiefsays