YouTube, a subsidiary of Google, has announced its intention to eliminate videos disseminating misinformation about cancer.
As of Tuesday, YouTube has declared its commitment to eradicating content that endorses “cancer treatments proven to be harmful or ineffective,” or content that discourages individuals from seeking proper medical intervention. The company has designed a more streamlined approach to address medical misinformation by grouping its existing guidelines into three main categories: Prevention, Treatment, and Denial.
Dr. Garth Graham, Director and Global Head of Healthcare and Public Health Partnerships, stated that these policies will be directed at specific health issues, treatments, and substances, particularly instances where content contradicts the recommendations of local health authorities or the World Health Organization (WHO).
YouTube will take action against content that contradicts the guidance of health authorities related to disease prevention and transmission, as well as the safety and effectiveness of authorized vaccines. This encompasses content that endorses hazardous substances for disease prevention and content that advocates unproven remedies instead of seeking medical attention for particular conditions. For instance, any promotion of caesium chloride as a cancer treatment will be removed.
Matt Halprin, VP and Global Head of Trust and Safety, affirmed that content denying the existence of specific health conditions, such as COVID-19 fatalities, will also be subject to removal.
Videos like “garlic as a cancer cure” will be taken down
Commencing on Tuesday and intensifying in the following weeks, YouTube will initiate the removal of content that advocates cancer treatments proven to be detrimental or ineffective, or content that steers viewers away from professional medical assistance. This includes material promoting unverified treatments as substitutes for approved care or guaranteed cures, as well as therapies explicitly deemed harmful by health authorities.
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For example, videos suggesting “garlic as a cancer cure” or “replace radiation therapy with vitamin C” will be taken down. Simultaneously, YouTube is curating a playlist of compelling and informative cancer-related videos from reputable sources.
YouTube has additionally joined forces with Mayo Clinic to produce new video content, aiming to disseminate information about various cancer conditions to a wider audience.
