PARIS — More than 80 fact-checking organizations on Wednesday urged online video platform YouTube to do a better job of cracking down on misinformation and offered to help debunk false claims.
“Every day we see that YouTube is one of the leading channels for online disinformation and misinformation in the world,” the groups around the world, from Politifact and the Washington Post in the United States, told Africa Check, based in Kenya.
Videos containing false information have “fallen under YouTube’s political radar, especially in non-English speaking countries”, according to an open letter to YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki.
“We urge you to take effective action against disinformation and misinformation…and to do so with the world’s independent and impartial fact-checking organizations,” they added.
“Our experience as fact checkers combined with scientific evidence tells us that uncovering verified information is more effective than removing content.”
He also urged the platform to ensure that its recommendation algorithm does not actively promote misinformation to its users.
You-Tube spokeswoman Elena Hernandez defended the platform, saying fact-checking is a “crucial tool” but just “one piece of a much larger puzzle to combat the spread of misinformation”.
“Over the years, we’ve invested heavily in policies and products in every country…to connect people to authoritative content, reduce the spread of borderline misinformation, and remove hurtful videos,” she said.
She said YouTube had seen “significant advancements”.
- AFP
