Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Shutterstock

Factcheckers send open letter to YouTube over 'destructive' misinformation on the platform

The open letter is addressed to YouTube’s CEO, Susan Wojcicki from over 80 fact-checking organisations around the world.

FACTCHECKING ORGANISATIONS AROUND the world, including The Journal, have called on YouTube to take further actions to stem the amount of disinformation being spread on the platform.

In an open letter to the platform’s CEO, Susan Wojcicki, over 80 factchecking organisations have called for the company to take at least four steps to stop YouTube from being “one of the major conduits of online disinformation and misinformation worldwide”.

“It’s been almost two years since the COVID-19 pandemic started. The world has seen time and time again how destructive disinformation and misinformation can be for social harmony, democracy, and public health; too many lives and livelihoods have been ruined, and far too many people have lost loved ones to disinformation,” reads the open letter.

The group says that while it sees concern among the global factchecking community, it does not see any efforts being taken by YouTube to tackle misinformation being spread on the platform.

“On the contrary, YouTube is allowing its platform to be weaponised by unscrupulous actors to manipulate and exploit others, and to organise and fundraise themselves. Current measures are proving insufficient.

That is why we urge you to take effective action against disinformation and misinformation, and to elaborate a roadmap of policy and product interventions to improve the information ecosystem – and to do so with the world’s independent, non-partisan factchecking organisations.

Particular examples of misinformation spread on YouTube included how 33 million people, from the eve of the US presidential election until the day after, watched YouTube videos supporting the election fraud narrative.

Misinformation on Covid-19 is also highlighted in the open letter, citing how conspiracy theories on the pandemic spread from Germany to Spain and then through Latin America.

The group have said that while there is rampant misinformation in English-speaking countries, it becomes worse in non-English speaking countries and in the Global South.

While the group says it is good to see YouTube take some steps to address issues of misinformation recently, it notes that the steps are not working to stop the flow of misinformation on the platform.

“We are glad that the company has made some moves to try to address this problem lately, but based on what we see daily on the platform, we think these efforts are not working – nor has YouTube produced any quality data to prove their effectiveness,” reads the open letter.

In the letter, the group proposes that YouTube take several actions including being more transparent about disinformation and taking action against those who repeatedly spread misinformation.

The letter also details how YouTube should focus more on providing context and debunks, rather than simply deleting videos. 

The group is also seeking for YouTube to extend their efforts against misinformation in more languages than just English and for it to provide country and language-specific data, as well as an effective transcription service.

“We hope you will consider implementing these ideas for the public good and to make YouTube a platform that truly does its best to prevent disinformation and misinformation being weaponised against its users and society at large,” reads the letter.

“We are ready and able to help YouTube. We wish to meet with you to discuss these matters and find ways forward on a collaboration and look forward to your response to this offer.”

Youtube response

In a statement to The Journal following the publication of the open letter, YouTube spokesperson Elena Hernandez said that fact-checking is a “crucial tool” to help viewers make informed decisions, but says that it is only a “piece of a much larger puzzle” to address misinformation.

Hernandez said: “We’ve invested heavily in policies and products in all countries we operate to connect people to authoritative content, reduce the spread of borderline misinformation, and remove violative videos.”

“We’ve seen important progress, with keeping consumption of recommended borderline misinformation significantly below 1% of all views on YouTube, and only about 0.11% of all views are of violative content that we later remove.”

Hernandez says that YouTube is looking for “meaningful” ways to improve and that they will strengthen their work with the factchecking community.

The open letter can be viewed here.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
It is vital that we surface facts from noise. Articles like this one brings you clarity, transparency and balance so you can make well-informed decisions. We set up FactCheck in 2016 to proactively expose false or misleading information, but to continue to deliver on this mission we need your support. Over 5,000 readers like you support us. If you can, please consider setting up a monthly payment or making a once-off donation to keep news free to everyone.

Close
37 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brendan Byrne
    Favourite Brendan Byrne
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:24 PM

    Pics or it didn’t happen….

    164
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Doyle
    Favourite Paul Doyle
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:29 PM

    You can charge £64 for four ice creams and its not a crime… Dress up as a dead man n boom it’s off to the slammer with ye

    277
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Bergin
    Favourite Tony Bergin
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:33 PM
    38
    See 6 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peter McGlynn
    Favourite Peter McGlynn
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:38 PM

    Paul let it rest. Buy a cornetto the next time you’re there :-)

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Doyle
    Favourite Paul Doyle
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:40 PM

    No way man…
    Bringing al supplies with me from Aldis, ha ha

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Derek O'Beirne
    Favourite Derek O'Beirne
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:46 PM

    Why are there so many Chairman Mao looky likeys?

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Spud Jones
    Favourite Spud Jones
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 12:46 AM

    That’s his crier taken off!

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute CD
    Favourite CD
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 1:43 AM

    “Pics or it didn’t happen”

    If the RCC applied the same standards there’d be no saints…

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute bob®
    Favourite bob®
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 3:07 AM

    But some paedophiles have masqueraded as priests on church soil.clean up should be quick so, but what do I know been an atheist….

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Elma Phudd
    Favourite Elma Phudd
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:39 PM

    Meanwhile, Berlusconi still holds public office. Statutory rape and tax evasion is one thing, but dressing up as a dead pope, well…

    134
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Miss coffee
    Favourite Miss coffee
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 2:03 AM

    Yea but Vatican City separate state to Rome / Italy

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark O'Malley
    Favourite Mark O'Malley
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 6:38 AM

    Arrested in Rome !

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute joe dangermouse
    Favourite joe dangermouse
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:43 PM

    RELIGION IS LIKE A PENIS
    It’s ok to have one
    It’s ok to be proud of it
    HOWEVER
    Do not pull it out in public
    Do not push it on children
    Do not write laws with it

    104
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Elma Phudd
    Favourite Elma Phudd
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:51 PM

    So it’s a phallicy?

    93
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute sinto
    Favourite sinto
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 7:59 AM

    And dont try to shove it down my throat

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ollie O Sullivan
    Favourite Ollie O Sullivan
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:37 PM

    Hope the vatican police dont turn up at the ted fest

    92
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Master Mc Man
    Favourite Master Mc Man
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:38 PM

    Nice little country is the Vatican – high crime rate though

    56
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Hugh O Connell
    Favourite Hugh O Connell
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 9:26 AM

    A lad dropped his pants and hung a moon ion grafton st last night and was arrested for impersonating Phil Hogan

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciarán Ó Conghaile
    Favourite Ciarán Ó Conghaile
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 11:42 PM

    Kent Brockman: Police say the fake Pope can be easily recognized by his high-top sneakers and incredibly foul mouth.

    70
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute PJL M
    Favourite PJL M
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:44 PM

    I saw a fella in Ranelagh who looks just like Brent Pope, I think he should be hung….like a horse!

    38
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute JayK
    Favourite JayK
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 11:40 PM

    Nice one Brent.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Donohoe
    Favourite Brian Donohoe
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 3:48 AM

    Rumours circulating tonight that a man called Kenny has been arrested in Kildare Street for impersonating a leader of a country.

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Becky Mary Eaton
    Favourite Becky Mary Eaton
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 6:40 AM

    Lol that’s a brill one :-)

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
    Favourite Sheik Yahbouti
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 12:15 AM

    Imagine, some bum reported him. God botherers suck.

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Master Mc Man
    Favourite Master Mc Man
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:35 PM

    Kick em up the arse

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lucy
    Favourite Lucy
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:57 PM

    Perhaps it is the real J.P coming back for a gawk at whats going down in the Vat!

    2 is company, 3 is a crowd so he wandered out onto a street and boom he’s in the slammer.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute joe dangermouse
    Favourite joe dangermouse
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 11:02 PM

    He forgot his pjs.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute run amuck
    Favourite run amuck
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:36 PM

    Ah would ya f@## off !!!!

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dhakina's Sword
    Favourite Dhakina's Sword
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 1:54 AM

    I wonder what his fine would have been, if he attempted to look like Jesus. Although, that might have been hard to prove, now that I think about it.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas Cooke
    Favourite Thomas Cooke
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:50 PM

    Police said it would have been ok if he looked like Tutenkamun ~ I suppose because he is dead, and a dead Pharaoh can’t sue…

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Lane
    Favourite Dermot Lane
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:54 PM

    And John Paul is not dead, is that what you’re saying?

    53
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lucy
    Favourite Lucy
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 9:22 AM

    John Paul isn’t dead. He’s just taking a break and having a kitkat

    8
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas Cooke
    Favourite Thomas Cooke
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 9:44 AM

    Isn’t that the apparent logic of the police comment?

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Derek O'Beirne
    Favourite Derek O'Beirne
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:33 PM

    There’s too much of this sort of thing going on – a line has to be drawn somewhere. Make an example of him!

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Hickey Edmond
    Favourite Hickey Edmond
    Report
    May 10th 2013, 10:50 PM

    Totally agree Derek
    . Hang the bastard. Then we could do Brady and the rest of them

    38
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Jordan
    Favourite David Jordan
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 1:15 AM

    The church of Rome use freedom of speech to encourage discrimination and hatred towards LGBT but can’t take a little satire, hypocrites, as usual.

    40
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Keane
    Favourite John Keane
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 7:24 AM

    Why does it say papa Eoin pol? I thought Sean was the Irish for john? Have they been lying to me all my life?

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Yellow Buzzinfly
    Favourite Yellow Buzzinfly
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 8:08 AM

    Is it a crime if you are caught for making a mock or a joke out of the big names ?? There are many Rough Collie doggy breeds out there who look like Lassie !

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Becky Mary Eaton
    Favourite Becky Mary Eaton
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 6:38 AM

    How silly poor man

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kieran Casey
    Favourite Kieran Casey
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 4:02 PM

    Well the pope clams to be “Gods” voice here on earth…. Come on who’s the con man here.!!!!

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciara Richardson
    Favourite Ciara Richardson
    Report
    May 11th 2013, 5:37 AM

    Its a pity its not father Ted least we’d have a laugh then

    2
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds