YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki was on Wednesday issued an open letter by 80 fact-checking organizations worldwide calling YouTube platform one of the primary sources of misinformation online, asking for redress.
The letter, published by the International Fact-Checking Network reads “as an international network of fact-checking organizations, we monitor how lies spread online and everyday, we see that YouTube is one of the major conduits of online disinformation and misinformation worldwide.”
The organizations claimed that YouTube stands idly by combating fake news, “allowing unscrupulous actors” to use the platform “to manipulate and exploit others” and enrich 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,” the letter read.
Furthermore, the organizations stressed that online misinformation disseminated through YouTube may compromise “social harmony, democracy, and public health.’’
They also accused YouTube of not doing enough to take down misleading videos on medical topics, such as calls to boycott COVID-19 vaccination and false cancer therapies.
The letter proposed that YouTube work collaboratively with independent fact-checking organizations to verify the information released on its platform.
Specifically, the letter proposed not only removing misinformation and disinformation materials, but also providing context and rebuttals of false information.
The letter was signed by several dozen organizations from around the world, including Correctiv (Germany) and Full Fact (the UK).
Other organizations include Washington Post Fact-checker (the US), Code for Africa – PesaCheck (African countries), Taiwan FactCheck Center, Fatabyyano (Middle East and North Africa) and Colombia check (Colombia). (Sputnik/NAN)
