Despite Big Tech censorship being at an all-time high, at GlobalFact 9, a fact-checking conference organized by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), YouTube was blasted for its failure to address “mis- and disinformation.”
IFCN had previously published an open letter to YouTube, asking the platform to do more to address the spread of misinformation.
“As an international network of fact-checking organizations, we monitor how lies spread online — and every day, we see that YouTube is one of the major conduits of online disinformation and misinformation worldwide. This is a significant concern among our global fact-checking community,” the IFCN wrote in the letter signed by over 100 fact-checking organizations.
During the fact-checking conference, several fact-checking organizations expressed similar sentiments.
“YouTube does not seem to raise accurate, credible information in its algorithms. We have had a lot of experience with YouTube making videos of fact-checking content. It doesn’t seem to do very well,” said Angie Drobnic Holan, editor-in-chief of PolitiFact. “I think most news organizations are extremely frustrated with your platform.”
YouTube argued that it addressed misinformation by elevating “authoritative sources.”
“All of the work that we’re doing around raising authoritative content, navigating that in the context of the various recommendation systems is very much a big priority for us, and it’s something we’re continuing to invest in,” said Brandon Feldman, a YouTube representative, to Poynter.
“I hope you can take that message back to your entire company and share it at the highest levels. Because sending a representative to a fact-checking conference to talk nice is just not doing it,” Holan said.
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