YouTube Is Banning Anti-Vax Misinformation & The Biggest Spreaders Are Getting Suspended
Over 130,000 videos have already been removed.
YouTube is cracking down on anti-vaccine misinformation on its platform — and not just the stuff about COVID-19.
The company announced on Wednesday that it will ban all videos that cast doubt on vaccines that have already been deemed safe by health authorities.
That includes everything from coronavirus vaccines to shots for the flu, Hepatitis B and measles/mumps/rubella.
"Specifically, content that falsely alleges that approved vaccines are dangerous and cause chronic health effects, claims that vaccines do not reduce transmission or contraction of disease, or contains misinformation on the substances contained in vaccines will be removed," YouTube wrote in a blog post.
"This would include content that falsely says that approved vaccines cause autism, cancer or infertility, or that substances in vaccines can track those who receive them."
In other words, they're going after some of the most widespread conspiracy theories about vaccines, including falsehoods about 5G, microchips, Bill Gates and Nicki Minaj's cousin's friend's testicles.
YouTube also banned channels belonging to some of the biggest anti-vax activists, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
"There is no instance in history when censorship and secrecy has advanced either democracy or public health," Kennedy told Reuters in a statement.
The Google-owned company says it's already removed more than 130,000 videos since last year in an effort to fight COVID-19 misinformation.
"We've steadily seen false claims about the coronavirus vaccines spill over into misinformation about vaccines in general," YouTube wrote. "We're now at a point where it's more important than ever to expand the work we started with COVID-19 to other vaccines."
The company added that it will not ban personal testimonials about vaccines. It will also allow discussions about vaccine policy, new vaccine trials and the history of vaccines that have succeeded or failed.
The new policy went into effect immediately on Wednesday.