YouTube will no longer remove videos spreading disinformation about the US election. The company states that being able to discuss political ideas, even when the facts are wrong, is “critical to a well-functioning democracy.”
YouTube writes that it has thought through this change ‘carefully’. The company says it has removed tens of thousands of videos containing disinformation about the US election since 2020, but says the “landscape” has changed in the meantime. “In the current climate, we believe that while removing such content mitigates disinformation to some extent, it may also have the unintended effect of curtailing political expression without significantly reducing the risk of violence or other forms of actual harm. .”
Therefore, as of now, videos that make false claims of large-scale fraud, errors or malfunctions related to the 2020 election or other US elections will no longer be removed, according to YouTube. However, videos containing such disinformation are less likely to be recommended to other users.
Videos that mislead other voters about the time, location, resources or requirements to vote will still be removed. This also applies to claims ‘which may materially discourage voting’. As an example, YouTube cites claiming that voting by mail is not valid. Finally, statements that ‘incite others to interfere in the democratic process’ are also not allowed on the video platform.
