YouTube has made a significant shift in its approach to election misinformation, announcing that it will no longer remove content that spreads false claims about the 2020 and previous US Presidential elections.
In a recent blog post, the video-sharing platform stated that the ability to engage in open political debates, even if they involve controversial or disproven assumptions, is crucial for a well-functioning democratic society, particularly during election seasons.
The company initially implemented its election misinformation policy in December 2020, which aimed to prevent the dissemination of false information regarding the integrity of US elections. Since then, YouTube claims to have taken down “thousands” of videos in adherence to this policy.
YouTube acknowledges that while removing such content has been effective in curbing some misinformation, it could also unintentionally stifle political discourse without significantly reducing the risk of real-world harm or violence. Therefore, after careful consideration, the platform has decided to modify its policies accordingly.
“Two years, tens of thousands of video removals, and one election cycle later, we recognized it was time to reevaluate the effects of this policy in today’s changed landscape,” the platform said.
“In the current environment, we find that while removing this content does curb some misinformation, it could also have the unintended effect of curtailing political speech without meaningfully reducing the risk of violence or other real-world harm.”
During the 2020 US presidential election, YouTube’s efforts to combat misinformation were met with mixed results. While a study conducted that year revealed that YouTube’s recommendation algorithm frequently directed skeptical users to videos questioning the election results, the platform faced criticism for allowing false election claims to remain on the site.
Earlier this year, YouTube also removed the restrictions imposed on Donald Trump’s account.
Despite the recent policy reversal, YouTube affirms its commitment to enforcing rules that prevent users from discouraging others from participating in elections. The platform will take action against content that aims to mislead users about voting requirements, locations, or timing, as well as content that disputes the legitimacy of mail-in voting. Additionally, YouTube states that it will continue to prominently feature content from authoritative sources in its search results and recommendations.
