For years, that meant conspiracy theories — lots and lots of them, all delivered with the same wide-eyed credulity. A conspiracy theory is harmful if it results in harm — at which point it’s often too late for platforms to act. Or take Pizzagate, a right-wing conspiracy theory that alleged that Hillary Clinton and other Democrats were secretly running a child-sex ring. When those creators propagate hoaxes and conspiracy theories as part of a financially motivated growth strategy, it seeps in with some percentage of their audience. It’s possible that YouTube can still beat back the flood of conspiracy theories coursing through its servers.

Source: bd News24 February 22, 2019 06:00 UTC