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| {{NOINDEX}}{{<includeonly>safesubst:</includeonly>#invoke:RfD||2=Offensive content in YouTube|month = December | |||
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| ] has a set of community guidelines aimed to reduce abuse of the site's features. The uploading of videos containing defamation, pornography, and material encouraging criminal conduct is forbidden by YouTube's "Community Guidelines".<ref name="guidelines">{{cite web |title=YouTube Community Guidelines |url=https://www.youtube.com/t/community_guidelines |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304150155/https://www.youtube.com/yt/policyandsafety/communityguidelines.html |archive-date=March 4, 2017 |access-date=November 30, 2008 |via=YouTube}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=August 2019|reason=The current source is a primary source}} Generally prohibited material includes sexually explicit content, videos of animal abuse, ], content uploaded without the copyright holder's consent, hate speech, spam, and predatory behavior.<ref name="guidelines" /> YouTube relies on its users to flag the content of videos as inappropriate, and a YouTube employee will view a flagged video to determine whether it violates the site's guidelines.<ref name="guidelines" /> Despite the guidelines, YouTube has faced criticism over aspects of its operations,<ref name="demonetization">{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=May 10, 2018 |title=The Yellow $: a comprehensive history of demonetization and YouTube's war with creators |url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/5/10/17268102/youtube-demonetization-pewdiepie-logan-paul-casey-neistat-philip-defranco |access-date=November 3, 2019 |website=Polygon |language=en}}</ref> its ] perpetuating ] and falsehoods,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wong |first1=Julia Carrie |author-link=Julia Carrie Wong |last2=Levin |first2=Sam |date=January 25, 2019 |title=YouTube vows to recommend fewer conspiracy theory videos |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jan/25/youtube-conspiracy-theory-videos-recommendations |access-date=November 3, 2019 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> hosting videos ostensibly targeting children but containing ],<ref>{{cite news |last=Orphanides |first=K. G. |date=March 23, 2018 |title=Children's YouTube is still churning out blood, suicide and cannibalism |magazine=Wired UK |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/youtube-for-kids-videos-problems-algorithm-recommend |access-date=November 3, 2019 |issn=1357-0978}}</ref> videos of minors attracting ] activities in their comment sections,<ref>{{cite news |last=Orphanides |first=K. G. |date=February 20, 2019 |title=On YouTube, a network of paedophiles is hiding in plain sight |magazine=Wired UK |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/youtube-pedophile-videos-advertising |access-date=November 3, 2019 |issn=1357-0978}}</ref> and fluctuating policies on the types of content that is eligible to be monetized with advertising.<ref name="demonetization" /> | |||
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| YouTube contracts companies to hire content moderators, who view content flagged as potentially violating YouTube's content policies and determines if they should be removed. In September 2020, a class-action suit was filed by a former content moderator who reported developing ] (PTSD) after an 18-month period on the job.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kimball |first=Whitney |date=September 22, 2020 |title=Content Moderator Exposed to Child Assault and Animal Torture Sues YouTube |url=https://gizmodo.com/youtube-moderator-sues-over-ptsd-symptoms-lack-of-work-1845143110 |access-date=October 11, 2020 |work=Gizmodo}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Vincent |first=James |date=September 22, 2020 |title=Former YouTube content moderator sues the company after developing symptoms of PTSD |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/22/21450477/youtube-content-moderator-sues-lawsuit-ptsd-graphic-content-exposure |access-date=October 11, 2020 |work=The Verge}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Elias |first=Jennifer |date=September 22, 2020 |title=Former YouTube content moderator describes horrors of the job in new lawsuit |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/22/former-youtube-content-moderator-describes-horrors-of-the-job-in-lawsuit.html |access-date=October 11, 2020 |publisher=CNBC}}</ref> | |||
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| Controversial moderation decisions have included material relating to ],<ref>{{cite news |title=YouTube criticized in Germany over anti-Semitic Nazi videos |url=https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/898004.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517001126/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/898004.html |archive-date=May 17, 2008 |access-date=May 28, 2008 |agency=Reuters}}</ref> the ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Fury as YouTube carries sick Hillsboro video insult |url=https://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline=fury-as-youtube-carries-sick-hillsboro-video-insult%26method=full%26objectid=18729523%26page=1%26siteid=50061-name_page.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320021147/https://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline%3Dfury-as-youtube-carries-sick-hillsboro-video-insult%26method%3Dfull%26objectid%3D18729523%26page%3D1%26siteid%3D50061-name_page.html |archive-date=March 20, 2012 |access-date=November 29, 2015 |publisher=icLiverpool}}</ref> ]'s death,<ref>{{cite news |last=Alba |first=Davey |date=June 16, 2018 |title=YouTube Is Spreading Conspiracy Theories about Anthony Bourdain's Death |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/daveyalba/conspiracy-theories-about-anthony-bourdains-death-are |access-date=June 16, 2018 |work=] |language=en}}</ref> and the ].<ref>{{cite news |last=Bergen |first=Mark |date=April 15, 2019 |title=YouTube Flags Notre-Dame Fire as 9/11 Conspiracy, Says System Made 'Wrong Call' |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-15/youtube-flags-notre-dame-fire-as-9-11-conspiracy-in-wrong-call?srnd=technology-vp |access-date=April 15, 2019 |publisher=]}}</ref> In July 2008, the Culture and Media Committee of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom stated that it was "unimpressed" with YouTube's system for policing its videos, and argued that "proactive review of content should be standard practice for sites hosting user-generated content".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kirkup |first1=James |last2=Martin |first2=Nicole |date=July 31, 2008 |title=YouTube attacked by MPs over sex and violence footage |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3358061/YouTube-attacked-by-MPs-over-sex-and-violence-footage.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3358061/YouTube-attacked-by-MPs-over-sex-and-violence-footage.html |archive-date=2022-01-10 |access-date=March 26, 2017 |website=]}} | |||
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| In June 2022, ], a media watchdog group, reported that ] and ] content calling LGBT people ] was becoming more common on YouTube.<ref name="lawton_20220623">{{cite web |url=https://www.mediamatters.org/google/right-wing-clickbait-pushing-anti-lgbtq-groomer-smears-are-increasingly-popular-youtube |title=Right-wing clickbait pushing anti-LGBTQ 'groomer' smears are increasingly popular on YouTube |website=Media Matters |last1=Lawton |first1=Sophie |date=June 23, 2022 |access-date=October 23, 2022}}</ref> The report also referred to common accusations in YouTube videos that LGBT people are ].<ref name="lawton_20220623" /> The report stated the content appeared to be in violation of YouTube's hate speech policy.<ref name="lawton_20220623" /> | |||
| An August 2022 report by the ], a British think tank, found that harassment against women was flourishing on YouTube.<ref name="misogyny">{{cite news |last=Lorenz |first=Taylor |author-link=Taylor Lorenz |date=September 18, 2022 |title=YouTube remains rife with misogyny and harassment, creators say |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/09/18/you-tube-mysogyny-women-hate/ |access-date=December 26, 2022 |newspaper=] |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> In his 2022 book ''Like, Comment, Subscribe: Inside YouTube's Chaotic Rise to World Domination'', ] reporter Mark Bergen said that many female content creators were dealing with harassment, bullying, and stalking.<ref name="misogyny" /> | |||
| == Conspiracy theories and far-right content{{anchor|Promotion_of_conspiracy_theories_and_fringe_discourse|Conspiracy_theories_and_fringe_discourse}} == | |||
| YouTube has been criticized for using an algorithm that gives great prominence to videos that promote conspiracy theories, falsehoods and incendiary fringe discourse.<ref name="Darkest">{{cite news |last=Nicas |first=Jack |date=February 7, 2018 |title=How YouTube Drives People to the Internet's Darkest Corners |language=en-US |work=] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-youtube-drives-viewers-to-the-internets-darkest-corners-1518020478 |access-date=June 16, 2018 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=As Germans Seek News, YouTube Delivers Far-Right Tirades |newspaper=The New York Times |date=September 7, 2018 |language=en |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/07/world/europe/youtube-far-right-extremism.html |access-date=September 8, 2018 |last1=Fisher |first1=Max |last2=Bennhold |first2=Katrin}}</ref><ref name="secret life">{{cite news |last1=Ingram |first1=Matthew |title=YouTube's secret life as an engine for right-wing radicalization |language=en |work=Columbia Journalism Review |issue=September 19, 2018 |url=https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/youtube-conspiracy-radicalization.php |access-date=March 26, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=YouTube wants the news audience, but not the responsibility |url=https://www.cjr.org/innovations/youtube-wants-the-news-audience-but-not-the-responsibility.php |access-date=September 23, 2018 |work=Columbia Journalism Review |language=en}}</ref> According to an investigation by ''The Wall Street Journal'', "YouTube's recommendations often lead users to channels that feature conspiracy theories, partisan viewpoints and misleading videos, even when those users haven't shown interest in such content. When users show a political bias in what they choose to view, YouTube typically recommends videos that echo those biases, often with more-extreme viewpoints."<ref name="Darkest" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Rebecca |date=September 2018 |title=Alternative Influence: Broadcasting the Reactionary Right on YouTube |url=https://datasociety.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/DS_Alternative_Influence.pdf |access-date=March 26, 2019 |website=datasociety.net |publisher=Data and Society}}</ref> After YouTube drew controversy for giving top billing to videos promoting falsehoods and conspiracy when people made breaking-news queries during the ], YouTube changed its algorithm to give greater prominence to mainstream media sources.<ref name="Darkest" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Nicas |first=Jack |date=October 6, 2017 |title=YouTube Tweaks Search Results as Las Vegas Conspiracy Theories Rise to Top |language=en-US |work=] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/youtube-tweaks-its-search-results-after-rise-of-las-vegas-conspiracy-theories-1507219180 |access-date=June 16, 2018 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Here's How YouTube Is Spreading Conspiracy Theories About The Vegas Shooting |language=en |work=BuzzFeed |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/heres-how-youtube-is-spreading-conspiracy-theories-about |access-date=June 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Big Tech Platforms Still Suck During Breaking News |language=en |work=BuzzFeed |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/the-big-tech-platforms-are-still-botching-breaking-news |access-date=June 16, 2018}}</ref> | |||
| In 2017, it was revealed that advertisements were being placed on extremist videos, including videos by rape apologists, anti-Semites, and hate preachers who received ad payouts.<ref name="apologises">{{cite news |date=March 20, 2017 |title=Google apologises as M&S pulls ads |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-39325916 |access-date=June 16, 2018}}</ref> After firms started to stop advertising on YouTube in the wake of this reporting, YouTube apologized and said that it would give firms greater control over where ads got placed.<ref name="apologises" /> | |||
| University of North Carolina professor ] has referred to YouTube as "The Great Radicalizer", saying "YouTube may be one of the most powerful radicalizing instruments of the 21st century."<ref>{{cite news |title=Opinion {{!}} YouTube, the Great Radicalizer |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 10, 2018 |language=en |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/10/opinion/sunday/youtube-politics-radical.html |access-date=June 16, 2018 |last1=Tufekci |first1=Zeynep |id={{ProQuest|2610860590}}}}</ref> Jonathan Albright of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University described YouTube as a "conspiracy ecosystem".<ref name="secret life" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Parkland shooting 'crisis actor' videos lead users to a 'conspiracy ecosystem' on YouTube, new research shows |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/02/25/parkland-shooting-crisis-actor-videos-lead-users-to-a-conspiracy-ecosystem-on-youtube-new-research-shows/ |access-date=September 23, 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en}}</ref> | |||
| == Use among white supremacists == | |||
| Before 2019, YouTube took steps to remove specific videos or channels related to ] content that had violated its acceptable use policies but otherwise did not have site-wide policies against ].<ref name="youtubeblog june2019">{{cite web |date=June 5, 2019 |title=Our ongoing work to tackle hate |url=https://youtube.googleblog.com/2019/06/our-ongoing-work-to-tackle-hate.html |access-date=April 9, 2020 |via=YouTube}}</ref> | |||
| In the wake of the March 2019 ], YouTube and other sites like Facebook and Twitter that allowed user-submitted content drew criticism for doing little to moderate and control the spread of hate speech, which was considered to be a factor in the rationale for the attacks.<ref>{{cite web |last=Robertson |first=Adi |date=March 15, 2019 |title=Questions about policing online hate are much bigger than Facebook and YouTube |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/15/18267638/new-zealand-christchurch-mass-shooting-online-hate-facebook-youtube |access-date=April 9, 2020 |work=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Timberg |first1=Craig |last2=Harwell |first2=Drew |last3=Shaban |first3=Hamza |last4=Ba Tran |first4=Andrew |last5=Fung |first5=Brian |date=March 15, 2020 |title=The New Zealand shooting shows how YouTube and Facebook spread hate and violent images – yet again |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/03/15/facebook-youtube-twitter-amplified-video-christchurch-mosque-shooting/ |access-date=April 9, 2020 |newspaper=]}}</ref> These platforms were pressured to remove such content, but in an interview with '']'', YouTube's then chief product officer Neal Mohan said that unlike content such as ] videos which take a particular format and thus easy to detect through computer-aided algorithms, general hate speech was more difficult to recognize and handle, and thus could not readily take action to remove without human interaction.<ref>{{cite web |last=Roose |first=Kevin |date=March 29, 2019 |title=YouTube's Product Chief on Online Radicalization and Algorithmic Rabbit Holes |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/29/technology/youtube-online-extremism.html |access-date=April 9, 2020 |work=]}}</ref> | |||
| In May 2019, YouTube joined an initiative led by France and New Zealand with other countries and tech companies to develop tools to be used to block ] and to develop regulations, to be implemented at the national level, to be levied against technology firms that failed to take steps to remove such speech, though the United States declined to participate.<ref>{{cite web |last=Browne |first=Ryan |date=May 15, 2019 |title=New Zealand and France unveil plans to tackle online extremism without the US on board |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/15/new-zealand-france-unveil-plans-to-tackle-online-extremism-without-us.html |access-date=April 9, 2020 |publisher=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Willsher |first=Kim |date=May 15, 2019 |title=Leaders and tech firms pledge to tackle extremist violence online |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/15/jacinda-ardern-emmanuel-macron-christchurch-call-summit-extremist-violence-online |access-date=April 9, 2020 |work=]}}</ref> Subsequently, on June 5, 2019, YouTube announced a major change to its terms of service and further stated it would "remove content denying that well-documented violent events, like the Holocaust or ], took place."<ref name="youtubeblog june2019" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Newton |first=Casey |date=June 5, 2019 |title=YouTube just banned supremacist content, and thousands of channels are about to be removed |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/5/18652576/youtube-supremacist-content-ban-borderline-extremist-terms-of-service |access-date=April 9, 2020 |work=]}}</ref> | |||
| In June 2020, YouTube was criticized for allowing white supremacist content on its platform for years after it announced it would be pledging $1 million to fight racial injustice.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hamilton |first=Isobel Asher |date=June 1, 2020 |title=YouTube has pledged $1 million in solidarity with Black Lives Matter protesters, but critics note the site has allowed white supremacist videos for years |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-pledges-1-million-to-fight-racial-injustice-draws-criticism-2020-6 |access-date=May 11, 2024 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> Later that month, it banned several channels associated with white supremacy, including those of ], ], and ], asserting these channels violated their policies on hate speech.<ref>{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=June 29, 2020 |title=YouTube bans Stefan Molyneux, David Duke, Richard Spencer, and more for hate speech |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/29/21307303/youtube-bans-molyneux-duke-richard-spencer-conduct-hate-speech |access-date=June 29, 2020 |work=]}}</ref> | |||
| == Misinformation and handling of the COVID-19 pandemic == | |||
| Multiple research studies have investigated cases of misinformation in YouTube. In a July 2019 study based on ten YouTube searches using the ] related to climate and climate change, the majority of videos were videos that communicated views contrary to the ].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Allgaier |first=Joachim |date=July 25, 2019 |title=Science and Environmental Communication on YouTube: Strategically Distorted Communications in Online Videos on Climate Change and Climate Engineering |journal=Frontiers in Communication |volume=4 |doi=10.3389/fcomm.2019.00036 |issn=2297-900X |doi-access=free}}</ref> A May 2023 study found that YouTube was monetizing and profiting from videos that included misinformation about climate change.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 4, 2023 |title=Google profiting from climate misinformation on YouTube, report finds |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/google-youtube-climate-disinformation-ads-b2331573.html |access-date=August 27, 2023 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> A 2019 BBC investigation of YouTube searches in ten different languages found that YouTube's algorithm promoted health misinformation, including fake cancer cures.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carmichael |first1=Flora |last2=Gragani |first2=Juliana |date=September 12, 2019 |others=Beyond Fake News & B.B.C. Monitoring |title=How YouTube makes money from fake cancer cure videos |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-49483681 |access-date=September 27, 2019 |work=BBC News |language=en}}</ref> In Brazil, YouTube has been linked to pushing pseudoscientific misinformation on health matters, as well as elevated far-right fringe discourse and conspiracy theories.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fisher |first1=Max |last2=Taub |first2=Amanda |date=August 11, 2019 |title=How YouTube Radicalized Brazil |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/11/world/americas/youtube-brazil.html |access-date=August 12, 2019 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In the Philippines, numerous channels disseminated misinformation related to the ].<ref>{{cite news |last=Tuquero |first=Loreben |date=September 22, 2021 |title=Red flag for 2022: Political lies go unchecked on YouTube showbiz channels |url=https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/political-lies-unchecked-youtube-showbiz-channels-red-flag-candidates-2022 |access-date=September 23, 2021 |work=] |publisher=Rappler Inc. |location=], Philippines}}</ref> Additionally, research on the dissemination of ] beliefs in social media, has shown that networks of YouTube channels form an echo chamber that polarizes audiences by appearing to confirm preexisting beliefs.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Diaz Ruiz |first1=Carlos |last2=Nilsson |first2=Tomas |date=August 8, 2022 |title=Disinformation and Echo Chambers: How Disinformation Circulates on Social Media Through Identity-Driven Controversies |journal=Journal of Public Policy & Marketing |language=en |volume=42 |pages=18–35 |doi=10.1177/07439156221103852 |issn=0743-9156 |s2cid=248934562 |doi-access=}}</ref> | |||
| In 2018, YouTube introduced a system that would automatically add information boxes to videos that its algorithms determined may present conspiracy theories and other ], filling the infobox with content from ] and ] as a means to inform users to minimize misinformation propagation without impacting freedom of speech.<ref>{{cite web |last=Newton |first=Casey |date=March 13, 2018 |title=YouTube will add information from Misplaced Pages to videos about conspiracies |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/13/17117344/youtube-information-cues-conspiracy-theories-susan-wojcicki-sxsw |access-date=April 15, 2019 |work=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=David |date=March 14, 2018 |title=YouTube uses Misplaced Pages to fight fake news |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/youtube-fights-fake-news-with-wikipedia-frkpc8nm2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210927105159/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/youtube-fights-fake-news-with-wikipedia-frkpc8nm2 |archive-date=September 27, 2021 |access-date=July 13, 2023 |work=] |language=en |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> In 2023, YouTube revealed its changes in handling content associated with ]s. This social media platform's Community Guidelines now prohibit content that could encourage emulation from at-risk users.<ref>{{cite news |title=YouTube rolls out new policies for eating disorder content |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/18/tech/youtube-eating-disorder-policies/index.html |publisher=CNN}}</ref> | |||
| In January 2019, YouTube said that it had introduced a new policy starting in the United States intended to stop recommending videos containing "content that could misinform users in harmful ways." YouTube gave ], miracle cures, and ] as examples.<ref>{{cite news |last=Weill |first=Kelly |date=January 25, 2019 |title=YouTube Tweaks Algorithm to Fight 9/11 Truthers, Flat Earthers, Miracle Cures |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/youtube-tweaks-algorithm-to-fight-911-truthers-flat-earthers-miracle-cures |access-date=January 29, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Efforts within YouTube engineering to stop recommending borderline extremist videos falling just short of forbidden hate speech, and track their popularity were originally rejected because they could interfere with viewer engagement.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bergen |first1=Mark |date=April 2, 2019 |title=YouTube Executives Ignored Warnings, Letting Toxic Videos Run Rampant |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-04-02/youtube-executives-ignored-warnings-letting-toxic-videos-run-rampant |access-date=April 2, 2019 |work=Bloomberg News}}</ref> In July 2022, YouTube announced policies to combat misinformation surrounding ], such as videos with instructions to perform abortion methods that are considered unsafe and videos that contain misinformation about the ].<ref>{{cite web |last=Elias |first=Jennifer |date=July 21, 2022 |title=YouTube says it will crack down on abortion misinformation and remove videos with false claims |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/21/youtube-says-it-will-crack-down-on-abortion-misinformation.html |access-date=July 21, 2022 |publisher=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> Google and YouTube implemented policies in October 2021 to deny monetization or revenue to advertisers or content creators that promoted ].<ref>{{cite web |last=Peters |first=Jay |date=October 7, 2021 |title=Google and YouTube will cut off ad money for climate change deniers |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/7/22715102/google-youtube-climate-change-deniers-ads-monetization |access-date=October 7, 2021 |work=]}}</ref> In January 2024, the ] reported that climate change deniers were instead pushing other forms of climate change denial that have not yet been banned by YouTube.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Belanger |first=Ashley |date=January 16, 2024 |title=Climate denialists find new ways to monetize disinformation on YouTube |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/01/youtube-profits-from-videos-claiming-global-warming-is-beneficial/ |access-date=January 31, 2024 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 17, 2024 |title=YouTube making money off new breed of climate denial, monitoring group says |url=https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/youtube-making-money-off-new-breed-climate-denial-monitoring-group-says-2024-01-16/ |access-date=January 31, 2024 |work=]}}</ref> | |||
| Following the dissemination via YouTube of ] that ] communications technology was responsible for the spread of ] which led to multiple 5G towers in the United Kingdom being attacked by arsonists, YouTube removed all such videos linking 5G and the coronavirus in this manner.<ref name="guardian-youtube-to-suppress-content-spreading-coronavirus-5g-conspiracy-theory">{{cite news |last=Hern |first=Alex |date=April 5, 2020 |title=YouTube moves to limit spread of false coronavirus 5G theory |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/05/youtube-to-suppress-content-spreading-coronavirus-5g-conspiracy-theory |access-date=April 5, 2020 |newspaper=]}}</ref> | |||
| In September 2021, YouTube extended this policy to cover videos disseminating misinformation related to any vaccine, including those long approved against measles or Hepatitis B, that had received approval from local health authorities or the ].<ref name="WaPo20210929">{{cite news |last=Pannett |first=Rachel |date=January 29, 2021 |title=Russia threatens to block YouTube after German channels are deleted over coronavirus misinformation |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/09/29/russia-ban-youtube-german-coronavirus/ |access-date=September 30, 2021 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref name="NYT20210929">{{cite news |last=Alba |first=Davey |author-link=Davey Alba |date=September 29, 2021 |title=YouTube bans all anti-vaccine misinformation |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/29/technology/youtube-anti-vaxx-ban.html |url-access=limited |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/29/technology/youtube-anti-vaxx-ban.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |access-date=September 30, 2021 |work=The New York Times}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The platform proceeded to remove the accounts of anti-vaccine campaigners such as ] and ].<ref name="NYT20210929" /> YouTube had extended this moderation to non-medical areas. In the weeks following the ], the site added policies to remove or label videos promoting election fraud claims;<ref>{{cite news |last=Ortutay |first=Barbara |date=December 9, 2020 |title=Weeks after election, YouTube cracks down on misinformation |url=https://apnews.com/article/youtube-election-misinformation-removal-74ca3738e2774c9a4cf8fbd1e977710f |access-date=June 2, 2023 |work=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Timothy B. |date=December 9, 2020 |title=YouTube bans videos claiming Trump won |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/12/youtube-bans-videos-claiming-trump-won/ |access-date=January 31, 2024 |website=] |language=en-us}}</ref> however, it reversed this policy in June 2023, citing that the removal was necessary to "openly debate political ideas, even those that are controversial or based on disproven assumptions".<ref>{{cite news |date=June 1, 2023 |title=YouTube changes policy to allow false claims about past US presidential elections |url=https://apnews.com/article/youtube-election-misinformation-policy-42a6c1b7623c485dbc04eb76ad443247 |access-date=June 2, 2023 |work=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=June 2, 2023 |title=YouTube now allows videos that falsely claim Trump won 2020 election |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/06/youtube-now-allows-videos-that-falsely-claim-trump-won-2020-election/ |access-date=January 31, 2024 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> | |||
| == Child safety and wellbeing == | |||
| {{See also|FamilyOFive|Fantastic Adventures scandal|Elsagate}} | |||
| Leading into 2017, there was a significant increase in the number of videos related to children, coupled between the popularity of parents vlogging their family's activities, and previous content creators moving away from content that often was criticized or demonetized into family-friendly material. In 2017, YouTube reported that time watching family vloggers had increased by 90%.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Luscombe |first=Belinda |date=May 18, 2017 |title=The YouTube Parents Who are Turning Family Moments into Big Bucks |url=https://time.com/4783215/growing-up-in-public/ |access-date=June 21, 2019 |magazine=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=June 21, 2019 |title=YouTube can't remove kid videos without tearing a hole in the entire creator ecosystem |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/21/18651223/youtube-kids-harmful-content-predator-comments-family-vlogging |access-date=June 21, 2019 |work=]}}</ref> However, with the increase in videos featuring children, the site began to face several controversies related to ], including with popular channels ] and ].<ref name="Ohlheiser2017">{{cite news |last=Ohlheiser |first=Abby |date=April 26, 2017 |title=The saga of a YouTube family who pulled disturbing pranks on their own kids |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2017/04/25/the-saga-of-a-youtube-family-who-pulled-disturbing-pranks-on-their-own-kids/ |newspaper=]}}</ref><ref name="Cresci2017">{{cite news |last=Cresci |first=Elena |date=May 7, 2017 |title=Mean stream: how YouTube prank channel DaddyOFive enraged the internet |language=en-GB |work=] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/shortcuts/2017/may/07/when-youtube-pranks-go-horribly-wrong |access-date=June 7, 2017 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name="Dunphy2017">{{cite web |last=Dunphy |first=Rachel |date=April 28, 2017 |title=The Abusive 'Pranks' of YouTube Family Vloggers |url=https://nymag.com/selectall/2017/04/daddyofive-youtube-abuse-controversy-explained.html|work=]|access-date=July 9, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Gajanan2017">{{cite magazine |last=Gajanan |first=Mahita |date=May 3, 2017 |title=YouTube Star DaddyOFive Loses Custody of 2 Children Shown in 'Prank' Videos |url=https://time.com/4763981/daddyofive-mike-martin-heather-martin-youtube-prank-custody/ |access-date=July 9, 2017 |magazine=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first1=Eric |last1=Levenson |first2=Mel |last2=Alonso |title=A mom on a popular YouTube show is accused of pepper-spraying her kids when they flubbed their lines |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/20/us/youtube-fantastic-adventures-mom-arrest-trnd/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=March 20, 2019}}</ref> | |||
| Later that year, YouTube came under criticism for showing inappropriate videos targeted at children and often featuring popular characters in violent, sexual or otherwise disturbing situations, many of which appeared on ] and attracted millions of views. The term "]" was coined on the Internet and then used by various news outlets to refer to this controversy.<ref>Ben Popper, , ''The Verge'', February 4, 2017</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=March 31, 2017 |title=Report: Thousands of videos mimicking popular cartoons on YouTube Kids contain inappropriate content |url=https://news10.com/2017/03/31/report-thousands-of-videos-mimicking-popular-cartoons-on-youtube-kids-contain-inappropriate-content/ |access-date=April 30, 2017 |website=NEWS10 ABC |archive-date=August 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819234642/http://news10.com/2017/03/31/report-thousands-of-videos-mimicking-popular-cartoons-on-youtube-kids-contain-inappropriate-content/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="NYT">{{cite web |last=Maheshwari |first=Sapna |date=November 4, 2017 |title=Child Friendly? Startling Videos Slip Past Filters |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/04/business/media/youtube-kids-paw-patrol.html |url-access=limited |website=The New York Times |id={{ProQuest|2463387110}}}}</ref><ref name="forbes">Dani Di Placido, , '']'', November 28, 2017</ref> Following the criticism, YouTube announced it was strengthening site security to protect children from unsuitable content and the company started to mass delete videos and channels that made improper use of family-friendly characters. As part of a broader concern regarding child safety on YouTube, the wave of deletions also targeted channels that showed children taking part in inappropriate or dangerous activities under the guidance of adults.<ref name="auto">Todd Spangler, , '']'', November 17, 2017</ref><ref name="verge">{{cite news |last=Popper |first=Ben |date=November 9, 2017 |title=YouTube says it will crack down on bizarre videos targeting children |work=] |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/9/16629788/youtube-kids-distrubing-inappropriate-flag-age-restrict |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116090955/https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/9/16629788/youtube-kids-distrubing-inappropriate-flag-age-restrict |archive-date=November 16, 2017 |quote=In August of this year, YouTube announced that it would no longer allow creators to monetize videos which "made inappropriate use of family-friendly characters." Today it's taking another step to try to police this genre.}}</ref><ref>Sarah Templeton, , '']'', November 22, 2017</ref><ref>, '']'', November 22, 2017</ref><ref>Charlie Warzel, ], November 22, 2017</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Bridge |first1=Mark |last2=Mostrous |first2=Alexi |date=November 18, 2017 |title=Child abuse on YouTube |newspaper=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/child-abuse-on-youtube-q3x9zfkch |url-access=subscription |access-date=November 28, 2017}}</ref> | |||
| Even for content that appears to be aimed at children and appears to contain only child-friendly content, YouTube's system allows for anonymity of who uploads these videos. These questions have been raised in the past, as YouTube has had to remove channels with children's content which, after becoming popular, then suddenly include inappropriate content masked as children's content.<ref name="WSJ kids love">{{cite news |last1=Koh |first1=Yoree |last2=Morris |first2=Betsy |date=April 11, 2019 |title=Kids Love These YouTube Channels. Who Creates Them Is a Mystery. |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/kids-love-these-youtube-channels-who-creates-them-is-a-mystery-11554975000 |url-access=registration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814180500/https://www.wsj.com/articles/kids-love-these-youtube-channels-who-creates-them-is-a-mystery-11554975000 |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |access-date=August 14, 2019}}</ref> The anonymity of such channel raise concerns because of the lack of knowledge of what purpose they are trying to serve.<ref name="vice kids content">{{cite web |last=Haskins |first=Caroline |date=March 19, 2019 |title=YouTubers Are Fighting Algorithms to Make Good Content for Kids |url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mbznpy/youtubers-are-fighting-algorithms-to-make-good-content-for-kids |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814182839/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mbznpy/youtubers-are-fighting-algorithms-to-make-good-content-for-kids |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |access-date=August 14, 2019 |website=]}}</ref> The difficulty to identify who operates these channels "adds to the lack of accountability", according to Josh Golin of the ], and educational consultant Renée Chernow-O'Leary found the videos were designed to entertain with no intent to educate, all leading to critics and parents to be concerned for their children becoming too enraptured by the content from these channels.<ref name="WSJ kids love" /> Content creators that earnestly make child-friendly videos have found it difficult to compete with larger channels, unable to produce content at the same rate as them, and lacking the same means of being promoted through YouTube's recommendation algorithms that the larger animated channel networks have shared.<ref name="vice kids content" /> | |||
| In January 2019, YouTube officially banned videos containing "challenges that encourage acts that have an inherent risk of severe physical harm" (such as the ]) and videos featuring pranks that "make victims believe they're in physical danger" or cause emotional distress in children.<ref>{{cite web |last=Palladino |first=Valentina |date=January 16, 2019 |title=YouTube updates policies to explicitly ban dangerous pranks, challenges |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/01/youtube-updates-policies-to-explicitly-ban-dangerous-pranks-challenges/ |access-date=January 16, 2019 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> | |||
| == Sexualization of children and pedophilia == | |||
| {{See also|Elsagate}} | |||
| In November 2017, it was revealed in the media that many videos featuring children—often uploaded by the minors themselves, and showing innocent content such as the children playing with toys or performing gymnastics—were attracting comments from ]<ref>, '']'', November 15, 2017</ref><ref name="habits">{{cite news |last1=Mostrous |first1=Alexi |last2=Bridge |first2=Mark |last3=Gibbons |first3=Katie |date=November 24, 2017 |title=YouTube adverts fund paedophile habits |newspaper=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/youtube-adverts-fund-paedophile-habits-fdzfmqlr5 |url-access=subscription |access-date=November 28, 2017}}</ref> with predators finding the videos through private YouTube playlists or typing in certain keywords in Russian.<ref name="habits" /> Other child-centric videos originally uploaded to YouTube began propagating on the ], and uploaded or embedded onto forums known to be used by pedophiles.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tait |first=Amelia |date=April 24, 2016 |title=Why YouTube mums are taking their kids offline |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/observations/2016/04/why-youtube-mums-are-taking-their-kids-offline |access-date=June 21, 2019 |work=]}}</ref> | |||
| As a result of the controversy, which added to the concern about "Elsagate", several major advertisers whose ads had been running against such videos froze spending on YouTube.<ref name="forbes" /><ref>Todd Spangler, , '']'', November 25, 2017</ref> In December 2018, '']'' found more than 100 grooming cases in which children were manipulated into sexually implicit behavior (such as taking off clothes, adopting overtly sexual poses and touching other children inappropriately) by strangers.<ref name="Paedophiles">{{cite news |author1=Harry Shukman |author2=Mark Bridge |date=December 10, 2018 |title=Paedophiles grooming children live on YouTube |language=en |work=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/paedophiles-grooming-children-live-on-youtube-3fv8gt730 |issn=0140-0460 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210055232/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/paedophiles-grooming-children-live-on-youtube-3fv8gt730 |archive-date=December 10, 2018 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref> | |||
| In February 2019, YouTube vlogger Matt Watson identified a "wormhole" that would cause the YouTube recommendation algorithm to draw users into this type of video content, and make all of that user's recommended content feature only these types of videos.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lieber |first1=Chavie |title=YouTube has a pedophilia problem, and its advertisers are jumping ship |url=https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/27/18241961/youtube-pedophile-ring-child-safety-advertisers-pulling-ads |website=vox.com |date=March 1, 2019}}</ref> Most of these videos had comments from sexual predators commenting with timestamps of when the children were shown in compromising positions or otherwise making indecent remarks.<ref name="bloomberg mwatson">{{cite news |last1=Bergen |first1=Mark |last2=de Vynck |first2=Gerrit |last3=Palmeri |first3=Christopher |date=February 20, 2019 |title=Nestle, Disney Pull YouTube Ads, Joining Furor Over Child Videos |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-20/disney-pulls-youtube-ads-amid-concerns-over-child-video-voyeurs |access-date=February 20, 2019 |work=]}}</ref> In the wake of the controversy, the service reported that they had deleted over 400 channels and tens of millions of comments, and reported the offending users to law enforcement and the ].<ref>{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=February 21, 2019 |title=YouTube terminates more than 400 channels following child exploitation controversy |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/21/18234494/youtube-child-exploitation-channel-termination-comments-philip-defranco-creators |access-date=February 21, 2019 |work=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=February 21, 2019 |title=YouTube loses advertisers over 'wormhole into pedophilia ring' |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/02/youtube-loses-advertisers-over-wormhole-into-pedophilia-ring/ |access-date=February 22, 2019 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> Despite these measures several large advertisers pulled their advertising from YouTube.<ref name="bloomberg mwatson" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Haselton |first1=Todd |last2=Salinas |first2=Sara |date=February 21, 2019 |title=As fallout over pedophilia content on YouTube continues, AT&T pulls all advertisements |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/21/att-pulls-all-ads-from-youtube-pedophilia-controversy.html |access-date=February 21, 2019 |publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
| Subsequently, YouTube began to demonetize and block advertising on the types of videos that have drawn these predatory comments.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ingraham |first=Nathan |date=February 22, 2019 |title=YouTube is proactively blocking ads on videos prone to predatory comments |url=https://www.engadget.com/2019/02/22/youtube-blocking-ads-on-videos-predatory-comments/ |access-date=February 22, 2019 |work=]}}</ref> YouTube also began to flag channels that predominantly feature children, and preemptively disable their comments sections.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fox |first=Chris |date=February 28, 2019 |title=YouTube bans comments on all videos of kids |language=en-GB |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47408969 |access-date=March 2, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=February 28, 2019 |title=YouTube is disabling comments on almost all videos featuring children |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/28/18244954/youtube-comments-minor-children-exploitation-monetization-creators |access-date=February 28, 2019 |work=]}}</ref> | |||
| A related attempt to algorithmically flag videos containing references to the string "CP" (an abbreviation of ]) resulted in some prominent false positives involving unrelated topics using the same abbreviation. YouTube apologized for the errors and reinstated the affected videos.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gerken |first=Tom |date=February 19, 2019 |title=YouTube backtracks after Pokemon 'child abuse' ban |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47278362|work=]|access-date=February 20, 2019}}</ref> | |||
| In June 2019, ''The New York Times'' cited researchers who found that users who watched erotic videos could be recommended seemingly innocuous videos of children.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fisher |first1=Max |last2=Taub |first2=Amanda |date=June 3, 2019 |title=On YouTube's Digital Playground, an Open Gate for Pedophiles |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/03/world/americas/youtube-pedophiles.html |access-date=June 6, 2019 |work=]}}</ref> | |||
| == References == | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
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