YouTube announced on Wednesday that it was banning accounts associated with prominent anti-vaxxers, including Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as part of an increased effort to combat misinformation on its platform.
The Google-owned video sharing site already has a prohibition on content that makes false claims about the COVID-19 vaccines.
“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,” explains a YouTube blog post.
The post continues:
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. 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 New York Times provides context:
The new policy puts YouTube more in line with Facebook and Twitter. In February, Facebook said that it would remove posts with erroneous claims about vaccines, including taking down assertions that vaccines cause autism or that it is safer for people to contract the coronavirus than to receive vaccinations against it. But the platform remains a popular destination for people discussing misinformation, such as the unfounded claim that the pharmaceutical drug ivermectin is an effective treatment for Covid-19.
In March, Twitter introduced its own policy that explained the penalties for sharing lies about the virus and vaccines. But the company has a five “strikes” rule before it permanently bars people for violating its coronavirus misinformation policy.
The Times adds, “Reporting has shown that YouTube videos often act as the source of content that subsequently goes viral on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, sometimes racking up tens of millions of views.”
“It has been incredibly frustrating to try and share good, science-based information about vaccines on YouTube, only to have the algorithms then suggest anti-vaccine content to our viewers,” Erica DeWald, communications director of Vaccinate Your Family, told NBC News. “We’re hopeful this is a positive step toward ensuring people have access to real information about vaccines and will signal other social media companies to follow suit.”
Among those banned due to YouTube’s new policy is Joseph Mercola, a Florida physician, who the Center for Countering Digital Hate has identified as the number one anti-vaxx profiteer.
Mercola has written false articles title “How Covid-19 vaccine can destroy your immune system” and “Covid vaccines may bring avalanche of neurological disease.”
Reached by The Washington Post, Mercola claims he is being censored.
Vaccines are among the greatest medical accomplishments in world history, and have all but eradicated diseases like polio, diphtheria, and Hib. Measles, mumps, rubella, whooping cough, and tetanus have all been restrained by safe and effective vaccines.
