YouTube claims election denialism is no longer a real-world harm
Youtube reverses policy to allow content branded election denialism on its platform.
Content previously banned on YouTube during the United States (US) 2020 election owing to claims of election denialism can now be posted on the platform. The decision comes at a time when the country is on the cusp of preparations for the 2024 presidential election.
Effective immediately, YouTube will no longer remove content that ‘advances false claims that widespread fraud errors or glitches occurred in 2020 and past US presidential elections’. It will, however, continue to monitor information that misinforms the public about election logistics and voting eligibility criteria, that is, information aimed at dismantling democratic processes.
According to YouTube, the decision to reverse this policy results from its minimal effect on curbing misinformation and its unintended knock-on effect on curtailing political speech.
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