YouTube starts filtering videos containing false medical information

YouTube has initiated a rigorous filtration process targeting erroneous medical information within user-uploaded videos, often expunging them as swiftly as the very day of their upload.

Central to this initiative is the rectification of a deluge of misinformation that has pervaded the platform since 2020. This encompasses fallacious treatments for the novel coronavirus, inaccurate information on abortion, and misguided cancer treatments, all of which YouTube has prioritized for meticulous review.

Furthermore, YouTube has clarified that its criteria for content filtration will be anchored in the guidelines set forth by regional health institutions or information promulgated by the World Health Organization. Consequently, videos promulgating spurious claims, such as the utilization of garlic as a cancer remedy or the substitution of vitamin C injections for cancer chemotherapy, are slated for removal.

In a bid to facilitate user access to authentic medical information, Google has now collaborated with the renowned Mayo Clinic. This partnership seeks to curate an extensive playlist of videos sourced from credible entities, enabling users to readily obtain accurate information on cancer treatments.

However, exceptions to this stringent filtration policy exist. Public hearings or comments made by candidates during electoral campaigns, even if they encompass erroneous health-related information, will be retained. YouTube underscores that the essence of such videos lies in documenting the discourse of the moment, rather than serving as a medical reference, and thus, they will remain unscathed.