COVID-19: YouTube bans ALL anti-vaccine misinformation

YouTube says it will now block all anti-vaccine content on its video-sharing site to tackle misinformation about COVID-19.

The Google-owned platform broke the news in a statement via its blog on Wednesday.

The platform had earlier banned content containing false claims about the vaccines under its COVID-19 misinformation policy.

But it said the latest announcement applies to “general statements about vaccines.”

Youtube also said it would remove content that alleges vaccines cause chronic health effects or contains misinformation.

“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 said.

“Our Community Guidelines already prohibit certain types of medical misinformation. We’ve long removed content that promotes harmful remedies, such as saying drinking turpentine can cure diseases.

“Since last year, we’ve removed over 130,000 videos for violating our COVID-19 vaccine policies.

“We’ve steadily seen false claims about the coronavirus vaccines spill over into misinformation about vaccines in general. We’re now at a point where it’s more important than ever to expand the work we started to other vaccines.”

YouTube said it will remove content falsely alleging that approved vaccines cause chronic health effects.

It said it will also take down claims that vaccines do not reduce transmission or contraction of the disease, or contains misinformation on the substances contained in vaccines.

“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,” the video-sharing site added.

“Our policies not only cover specific routine immunizations like for measles or Hepatitis B but also apply to general statements about vaccines.”