A new study reveals that many YouTube videos still contain false information related to COVID-19, despite the company's efforts to eradicate all misinformation on its platform.
In a study published in the BMJ Global Health journal on Thursday, researchers from the University of Ottawa reviewed YouTube results using the keywords "COVID-19" and "coronavirus" typed into the platform's search bar. It was found that the misleading videos had been viewed more than 62 million times.
Videos were categorized non-factual if they contained one or more false statements about COVID-19 in terms of prevention strategies, symptoms, transmission, treatments, and epidemiology of the virus.
Of the 19 videos viewed by the team, three were from consumer videos; five were from internet news, another five from network news and six were from entertainment news outlets. The study also revealed that the least viewed videos are those from government and professional organizations, which had the most informative and credible content.
"Although YouTube is a powerful educational tool that healthcare professionals can mobilize to disseminate information and influence public behavior, if used inappropriately, it can simultaneously be a source of misleading information that can work significantly against these efforts," the researchers noted.
YouTube had already started its campaign of removing thousands of videos that violate its COVID-19 misinformation guidelines, ensuring that viewers will always be pointed to authoritative sources like those coming from health organizations and credible news outlets. In fact, the company has already expanded its fact-checking efforts to combat widespread information that has been rampant in major social media platforms.
And yet, the platform is still plagued with coronavirus misinformation and false news. The most recent, which became the topic of the internet due to its realistic production, is the viral COVID-19 conspiracy video called "Plandemic." it made rounds on both Facebook and YouTube last week, racking up nearly 2 million views, 150,000 shares, and 17,000 comments.
In the video, it was discussed that the spread of the coronavirus was planned in order to enforce global vaccinations, generating billions of dollars for pharmaceutical companies. It also draws critiques of Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and his response to the pandemic, misusing comments he made about the virus's ability to mutate out of context.
High-quality production values and interviews with supposed experts can make these videos very convincing. Often facts will be presented out of context and used to draw false conclusions. And tackling this kind of content is a game of cat-and-mouse for social media sites.
Both YouTube and Facebook have since removed the "Plandemic" video from their platforms.
