The Google-owned company, YouTube, has recently done its part in making the internet a safer place by removing a video that contained vaccine misinformation and promoted anti-vaccination. The controversial video was from Presidential candidate aspirants, Robert Kennedy Jr. and Jordan Peterson, who both recently went on a podcast to protest the removal.
YouTube's decision was firm on the platform's policies, particularly as the video had claims regarding the side effects of the vaccine that remains unrecognized by health authorities.
YouTube Vaccine Misinformation: Kennedy Jr., Peterson's Video Removed
(Photo : Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
NBC News reported a new dispute between a renowned personality and YouTube, particularly as the streaming platform removed a video from Jordan Peterson's channel which they claim to promote vaccine misinformation. According to Fox News Digital, a Google spokesperson said that the video violated YouTube's vaccine misinformation policy when they spoke about its side effects.
The video claimed that vaccines have chemicals that turn kids into transgenders.
The Google spokesperson said that effects outside of those recognized by health authorities are allowed on the platform, hence Peterson and Robert F. Kennedy's claims were deemed as vaccine misinformation.
YouTube's Vaccine Misinformation policy did not take this lightly and went on to remove the video from the platform.
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What do you think ... Should social media platforms censor presidential candidates? My conversation with @JordanBPeterson was deleted by @YouTube. Luckily you can watch it here on @Twitter (thank you @elonmusk). #Kennedy24https://t.co/PJFKWH6zmd
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) June 18, 2023
Kennedy Jr. Claims YouTube Impeded Presidential Run
Kennedy Jr. retweeted the video that was posted by Jordan Peterson via Twitter, and this is the full version that was taken down from YouTube, with Kennedy Jr. asking the public about social media censorship.
In a follow-up tweet, Kennedy Jr. said that while YouTube did not break any laws, this move was a "blatant interference of the electoral process."
YouTube and its Content Moderation
Since the dawn of the pandemic, YouTube has made its stance known that it is not tolerating COVID misinformation, as well as anti-vaccine propaganda available on the channel. Back in 2020, it was evident that many people are against the vaccine and their videos promoting misinformation were taken down and removed from the platform.
YouTube's COVID misinformation policy. was ruthless as it took down multiple videos and channels that center on spreading fake news and promoting misinformation to the public. The platform received threats from Russia as well, particularly with its hands on removing state-backed channels which violated the company's policies against misinformation.
Some still feel that YouTube's content moderation is not enough, with fact-checkers claiming that some content remains to bring misinformation to the platform.
Many may think that COVID and vaccination are long over, especially as the world is slowly returning to normal, with many restrictions already easing up. However, this does not call for misinformation to be tolerated by the likes of YouTube, facing massive protests online from anti-vaxxers, including one from a renowned politician.
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