YouTube Will Censor Vaccine ‘Misinformation’
By Movieguide® Staff
In a Sept. 29 blog post, YouTube announced further amendments to their “medical misinformation policies” and new policies regarding COVID-19 and vaccinations.
“Crafting policy around medical misinformation comes charged with inherent challenges and tradeoffs. Scientific understanding evolves as new research emerges, and firsthand, personal experience regularly plays a powerful role in online discourse,” YouTube’s blog reads. “Vaccines, in particular, have been a source of fierce debate over the years, despite consistent guidance from health authorities about their effectiveness.
“Today, we’re expanding our medical misinformation policies on YouTube with new guidelines on currently administered vaccines that are approved and confirmed to be safe and effective by local health authorities and the WHO,” it continued.
YouTube revealed that it previously took down more than 130,000 videos because they violated their COVID-19 vaccine guidelines.
“Throughout this work, we learned important lessons about how to design and enforce nuanced medical misinformation policies at scale. Working closely with health authorities, we looked to balance our commitment to an open platform with the need to remove egregious harmful content,” the blog reads. “We’ve steadily seen false claims about the coronavirus vaccines spill over into misinformation about vaccines in general, and 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.”
YouTube also made it clear which media content would violate its updated rules.
“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 said. “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. Our policies not only cover specific routine immunizations like for measles or Hepatitis B, but also apply to general statements about vaccines.”
“Given the importance of public discussion and debate to the scientific process, we will continue to allow content about vaccine policies, new vaccine trials, and historical vaccine successes or failures on YouTube. Personal testimonials relating to vaccines will also be allowed, so long as the video doesn’t violate other Community Guidelines, or the channel doesn’t show a pattern of promoting vaccine hesitancy,” YouTube added.
Despite the exceptions, the new policies offer ample ammunition for the big tech company to silence the voices they want to be silenced. While vaccinations is a hot-button topic today, YouTube’s policies could open the door for false accusations and censorship often seen on Facebook and Twitter.
YouTube already censored multiple Christian and/or conservative organizations and removed their video libraries.
As Movieguide® previously reported:
YouTube permanently banned the pro-life site LifeSiteNews.
LifeSiteNews announced that YouTube removed their account along with tens of thousands of hours of pro-life, pro-family, pro-freedom, and Christian news coverage.
“This is no longer a game of trying to play by the Tech Titans’ arbitrary, leftist, virtue-signaling rules. We are in a war waged by left-wing liberals seeking to annihilate all conservative voices,” LifeSiteNews reported. “It’s crystal clear: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and the others have now fully weaponized their platforms against conservatives in general and orthodox Christians in particular.”
LifeSiteNews’ YouTube channel was dedicated to offering a conservative viewpoint to 300,000 subscribers. The permanent ban resulted in the termination LifeSiteNews’ entire catalog of content.
Furthermore, right-leaning comedian Steven Crowder announced a lawsuit against the video platform earlier this year.
“This really isn’t just about us. We can find ways that we can broadcast to you,” Crowder said. “But this is the world’s most powerful company – arguably, when you look at YouTube, Google, Alphabet – and they make sure that they ghost you where people cannot find, not us, but the point of view.”
“In other words, in that same point in time when we’re talking specifically about the Columbus issue, you can go to Stephen Colbert, you can go to CNN, they’re all uploading at that same time with information that we know to be incorrect,” Crowder continued. “To not allow half the country, half the world ever to correct those mistruths under some misguided and, frankly, not outlined policy … the last thing I want to be doing is doing a lawsuit with Google and YouTube for crying out loud. They could squash my nuts into oblivion.”
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
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Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
