YouTube pulled ads from anti-vaccination content in 2019, and said in October 2020 that it would remove videos that pushed misinformation around COVID-19 vaccines. The new policy expands to block misinformation around other vaccines, including the flu shot, the HPV vaccine, and the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Along with the new policy, YouTube is also terminating the channels of major anti-vaxxers, a YouTube spokesperson confirmed to The Verge. YouTube expanded its vaccine policies after noting that misinformation around all vaccines could contribute to mistrust around the COVID-19 vaccine, Matt Halprin, YouTube’s vice president of global trust and safety, told The Washington Post. Facebook similarly expanded its vaccine misinformation policy in February to block claims that the shots are dangerous.

Source: The Nation September 29, 2021 14:37 UTC