YouTube is a major conduit for online disinformation worldwide and is not doing enough to tackle the spread of fake news on its platform, according to a global coalition of information-checking organizations.
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A letter signed by more than 80 groups, including Full Fact in the UK and the Washington Post's Fact Checker, says the platform hosts content from groups like Doctors for the Truth, which spread misinformation about Covid-19.
The letter urges YouTube, which is owned by Google, to make four changes to its operations: committing to funding independent research into disinformation campaigns on the platform and providing links to refutations within videos that spread misinformation. It also calls on YouTube to stop its algorithms from promoting repeat offenders and do more to tackle falsehoods in non-English language videos.
Disinformation is the deliberate distribution of false information intended to harm, while misinformation is when false information is shared but no harm is intended.
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The data controllers’ letter, which disputes claims from domestic governments, online posts and media organizations, says YouTube’s failure to tackle misinformation is particularly significant in the global south, a term that refers to nations in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Frances Haugen, the Facebook whistleblower, has repeatedly cited concerns about security checks in non-English-speaking markets as a key factor in her decision to go public with problems at the social media company.
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The signatories come from more than 40 countries with a range of funding backgrounds.
YouTube's community guidelines state that "certain types of misleading content with a serious risk of gross harm" are blocked from the platform. YouTube highlights the top ten countries for removed videos, dominated by non-English-speaking countries like Vietnam, India, and Brazil.
Source of information: theguardian.com
