Any content promoting "harmful or ineffective" cancer treatments will be removed from YouTube. The video-streaming platform is cracking down on clips that could pose a health risk to the viewers.
Specifically, the videos which urge people to ditch seeking professional medical treatment will soon be put in the bin.
YouTube Hammers Misinformation About Cancer Treatment
YouTube is cracking down on cancer treatment misinformation in its latest announcement.
On Tuesday, Aug. 15, YouTube updated its medical policy with new guidelines deemed to remove videos containing cancer cure misinformation.
According to the company, the three categories namely prevention, treatment, and denial belong to the updated guidelines.
To bolster its campaign against false health claims, TechCrunch reports that YouTube can now freely delete content that contains erroneous health details. It covers a wide range of topics such as COVID-19 and harmful substances.
"While specific medical guidance can change over time as we learn more, our goal is to ensure that when it comes to areas of well-studied scientific consensus, YouTube is not a platform for distributing information that could harm people," the company said in a blog post.
For example, a YouTube channel that claims that garlic is a surefire treatment for cancer can immediately get kicked off the platform. Other influencers who encourage people to take Vitamin C instead of radiation therapy will be de-platformed, as well.
YouTube noticed a surge of cancer patients who are struggling to search for a community that can help them. Because of this, they tend to find some answers from other unreliable sources.
YouTube's mission is for the viewers to easily access high-quality and trusted content. This means that misinformation has no right to thrive on the platform especially those which pose public health risks.
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Enforcement of Guidelines Can Take Effect in a Few Weeks
The abundance of misinformation on YouTube proves that there's a need to work out further. However, the company clarifies that content concerning public interest might remain available even if it's subjected to a policy violation, per CNBC.
With this, YouTube only sees a few authoritative sources of cancer-related content. One notable and reliable source of information is May Clinic.
This is not the first time that YouTube removed content about false health claims. In 2022, the company flagged clips promoting unsafe abortion practices.
For now, the company guarantees that it will continue to improve its medical guidelines and provide additional context to the clips.
YouTube Gets Stricter With Mukbang Videos
With regard to eating disorders, YouTube cracked down on content that showcases the "Mukbang" practice. For those unfamiliar with this term, this trend involves eating large amounts of food that is good for a group of people.
The viral Mukbang videos became more famous at the start of the pandemic when people had nothing to do but gaze at their smartphones throughout the day.
According to the reports, there's research that exposes the problematic side of Mukbang. While some find it enjoyable and irresistible to watch, others find it disturbing for their mental health.
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