A reader pointed me to YouTube's policy on misinformation. The YT Ministry of Truth is committed to keeping the narrative straight, no variations allowed. Recall that Ms. Wojcicky is the ex-wife of Sergei Brin, the Google cofounder, and that Google owns YouTube and this is a Google policy.
COVID-19 medical misinformation policy
YouTube doesn't allow content about COVID-19 that poses a serious risk of egregious harm.
YouTube doesn't allow content that spreads medical misinformation that contradicts local health authorities’ (LHA) or the World Health Organization’s (WHO) medical information about COVID-19. This is limited to content that contradicts WHO or local health authorities’ guidance on:
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Diagnosis
- Transmission
- Social distancing and self isolation guidelines
- The existence of COVID-19
Note: YouTube’s policies on COVID-19 are subject to change in response to changes to global or local health authorities’ guidance on the virus. There may be a delay between new LHA/WHO guidance and policy updates given the frequency with which this guidance changes, and our policies may not cover all LHA/WHO guidance related to COVID-19.
Our COVID-19 policies were first published on May 20, 2020.
What this policy means for you
If you're posting content
Don’t post content on YouTube if it includes any of the following:
Treatment misinformation:
- Content that encourages the use of home remedies, prayer, or rituals in place of medical treatment such as consulting a doctor or going to the hospital
- Content that claims that there’s a guaranteed cure for COVID-19
- Content that recommends use of Ivermectin or Hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19
- Claims that Hydroxychloroquine is an effective treatment for COVID-19
- Categorical claims that Ivermectin is an effective treatment for COVID-19
- Claims that Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine are safe to use in the treatment COVID-19
- Other content that discourages people from consulting a medical professional or seeking medical advice
Prevention misinformation: Content that promotes prevention methods that contradict local health authorities or WHO.
- Claims that there is a guaranteed prevention method for COVID-19
- Claims that any medication or vaccination is a guaranteed prevention method for COVID-19
- Content that recommends use of Ivermectin or Hydroxychloroquine for the prevention of COVID-19
- Claims that Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine are safe to use in the treatment COVID-19
- Claims that wearing a mask is dangerous or causes negative physical health effects
- Claims that masks do not play a role in preventing the contraction or transmission of COVID-19
- Claims about COVID-19 vaccinations that contradict expert consensus from local health authorities or WHO
- Claims that an approved COVID-19 vaccine will cause death, infertility, miscarriage, autism, or contraction of other infectious diseases (Check VAERS to find out what the vaccines cause, or the UK Yellow Card system or the EMA data--Nass)
- Claims that an approved COVID-19 vaccine will contain substances that are not on the vaccine ingredient list, such as biological matter from fetuses (e.g. fetal tissue, fetal cell lines) or animal products
- Claims that an approved COVID-19 vaccine will contain substances or devices meant to track or identify those who’ve received it
- Claims that COVID-19 vaccines will make people who receive them magnetic
- Claims that an approved COVID-19 vaccine will alter a person’s genetic makeup
- Claims that COVID-19 vaccines do not reduce risk of contracting COVID-19
- Claims that any vaccine causes contraction of COVID-19
- Claims that a specific population will be required (by any entity except for a government) to take part in vaccine trials or receive the vaccine first
- Content that promotes the use of unapproved or homemade COVID-19 vaccines
Instructions to counterfeit vaccine certificates, or offers of sale for such documents
Diagnostic misinformation: Content that promotes diagnostic methods that contradict local health authorities or WHO.
- Claims that approved COVID-19 tests are dangerous or cause negative physical health effects
- Claims that approved COVID-19 tests cannot diagnose COVID-19
Transmission misinformation: Content that promotes transmission information that contradicts local health authorities or WHO.
- Content that claims that COVID-19 is not caused by a viral infection
- Content that claims COVID-19 is not contagious
- Content that claims that COVID-19 cannot spread in certain climates or geographies
- Content that claims that any group or individual has immunity to the virus or cannot transmit the virus
Social distancing and self isolation misinformation: Content that disputes the efficacy of local health authorities’ or WHO's guidance on physical distancing or self-isolation measures to reduce transmission of COVID-19.
Content that denies the existence of COVID-19:
- Denial that COVID-19 exists
- Claims that people have not died or gotten sick from COVID-19
- Claims that the virus no longer exists or that the pandemic is over
- Claims that the symptoms, death rates, or contagiousness of COVID-19 are less severe or equally as severe as the common cold or seasonal flu
- Claims that the symptoms of COVID-19 are never severe
This policy applies to videos, video descriptions, comments, live streams, and any other YouTube product or feature. Keep in mind that this isn't a complete list. Please note these policies also apply to external links in your content. This can include clickable URLs, verbally directing users to other sites in video, as well as other forms...
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Johns Hopkins University’s analysis of the U.S. case-to-fatality ratio suggests that COVID-19 patients have a nearly 99.9+ percent survival rate (depending on age) under 65, 99.9999!
https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality
John Campbell's latest video, concerning Ivermectin's use in Japan, will be worth keeping an eye on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1GF0H9V_1g&t=369s
ReplyDeleteHe's generally seen as promoting an 'establishment' perspective, has acquired a major following on YouTube, and is one of very few independent authorities utilized by mainstream television news.
But recently he's begun acknowledging the legitimacy of the controversies surrounding adverse events, the utility of booster shots, and the efficacy of Ivermectin.
His presentations are well referenced and unbiased. And because of his familiarity with the range of national and international COVID policies, he's able to demonstrate that what is considered controversial information in the US and UK, is often uncontroversial to large parts of the rest of the world. That the US and UK are actually going against international guidance in many cases.
YouTube has left him alone so far, but this latest commentary on the Miracle in Japan is his clearest advocacy for allowing use of Ivermectin and criticism of its censorship and misrepresentation by Google and mainstream media sources.
BTW Susan W.'s sister was married to Brin, so she's his ex-sister-in-law not his ex-wife.
It stopped being mytube (which is what 'youtube' originally meant: it was a way for any of us to be a broadcaster) a long time ago. We needn't be surprised that the rules aren't working in our favor anymore. Add it to the list of sites that have been degraded by change of ownership and thus change of vision (typically with vast sums of money as the prime motivator).
ReplyDelete