On June 2 2023, a Reddit user shared a post claiming that YouTube altered a policy and was no longer restricting false claims about the 2020 election in the United States: YouTube changes policy to allow false claims about past US presidenti
Publication: youtube
Poynter→ $12 million Global Fact Check Fund opens applications for first grants
St. Petersburg, Fla. (April 14, 2023) – The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at the nonprofit Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalistic excellence, in partnership with Google and YouTube, […] The post $12 million Globa
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Established Titles’ Controversy
On November 23 2022, YouTube creator Scott Shafer uploaded a video partly titled “Established Titles Scam -YouTube’s BIGGEST Con,” about a common sponsor of YouTube shows (the company Established Titles) and whether their business mo
Climate Feedback→ Google’s demonetization of misinformation: one year on
Back in December 2021, Science Feedback conducted a quick check on the extent to which Google’s then-new policy on demonetizing climate change denial content was enforced. Our study focused on videos published on Youtube. We first found that Google
Snopes→ Fake Tweet Says YouTube Will Be ‘Removing the Skip Ad Button’
The fake tweet was in a Reddit post entitled "13/6/2024."
Snopes→ Is This Pop Rocks Ad a Real and ‘Banned’ TV Commercial?
Social media posts claimed that the video was a real commercial for the Pop Rocks candy product that had been "banned" from being shown on TV.
Snopes→ Is the ‘Garbage Truck Bursts into Flames’ Video Real?
A video shows a garbage truck spewing a liquid and bursting into flames after pulling up to a house for a standard pickup.
Snopes→ Dolly Parton Is Not ‘Currently on Life Support’
We received messages from readers asking about a rumor that claimed the American music icon had been diagnosed with a "dangerous disease."
Truth or Fiction?→ YouTube Targeting ‘Abortion Misinformation’ Post-Dobbs
Nearly a month after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24 2022, YouTube indicated that it would identify and remove “abortion misinformation” from its platform in a July 21 2022 statement: YouTube says it will cra
Snopes→ LGBTQ Harassment, Slurs Abound on Social Media, Report Says
Social media platforms including Facebook and TikTok are failing to stop hate and threats against LGBTQ users.
Snopes→ Is the Video of ‘Marines Perform Boarding Exercises with Jetpacks’ Real?
A video of a man using a jetpack out at sea near a military ship was posted on Facebook, which led readers to ask us about it.
Poynter→ YouTube takes flak on the third day of GlobalFact
OSLO, Norway – YouTube came under fire in Oslo on Friday during a “fireside chat” at GlobalFact 9, a large fact-checking conference hosted by the International Fact-Checking Network. During the […] The post YouTube takes flak on the third d
Snopes→ Jim Carrey Is Not Dead, Despite Death Hoax in YouTube Ad
YouTube users reported seeing an ad that falsely claimed Carrey, the famous movie star and stand-up comedian, had experienced a "heartbreaking passing."
Snopes→ Did Putin’s Legs Buckle During a Ceremony Due to Cancer or Parkinson’s Disease?
We received reader mail that asked us to look at a video clip that purportedly showed Putin unsteady on his feet during an awards ceremony.
Snopes→ EcoPlus Ad Shows Coke Poured into Car’s Gas Tank
We reached out to a company spokesperson to ask about this very bad idea that was advertised as a "simple trick to lower car fuel consumption by 55%."
Snopes→ Is the Snake and Snorkeler Photo in Online Ads Real?
A picture of a large snake and a snorkeler showed up in an online advertisement that read, "Chilling Unedited Nature Photos Ever Captured."
Snopes→ Is a ‘Rare Dog Breed’ in YouTube Thumbnails Real?
A picture of a black and "rare dog breed" with strange stripes appeared in an online advertisement as well as several thumbnails for YouTube videos.
Snopes→ ‘Interstate’s Forgotten Code’ Explains Hidden Meaning Behind Numbered Road Signs
Ever wonder why U.S. interstates are numbered the way that they are? One YouTube channel explained it all in a video.
Snopes→ The ‘Man Finds Buried Chain’ Ad Is Misleading Clickbait
Wales is a long way from Alabama.
Climate Feedback→ More than 80 fact-checking organizations call on YouTube to tackle misinformation
More than 80 fact-checking organizations – including Science Feedback – have penned an open letter to YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, urging the company to take meaningful action to address misinformation on the platform. The letter, published
Poynter→ Over 80 fact-checking organizations sign letter urging YouTube to address misinformation on its platform
Over 80 fact-checking organizations operating across more than 60 countries signed an open letter to YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki Wednesday, calling on the company to take stronger measures to fight […] The post Over 80 fact-checking organizations
Poynter→ An open letter to YouTube’s CEO from the world’s fact-checkers
Ms. Susan Wojcicki, It’s been almost two years since the COVID-19 pandemic started. The world has seen time and time again how destructive disinformation and misinformation can be for social […] The post An open letter to YouTube’s CEO from t
Climate Feedback→ Demonetization of climate change misinformation on Youtube: a quick check on the implementation of Google Ads’ new policy
On Oct. 7th 2021, Google announced a change in its policy on climate change misinformation. Starting in November, any content, including YouTube videos, that ‘contradicts well-established scientific consensus around the existence and causes of climat
Snopes→ Does Rebecca Black’s ‘Friday’ Have No Dislikes on YouTube?
While plenty of commenters appeared to understand what was happening, it's important to remember that not all users are alike.
Snopes→ YouTube Removes Verified, Unofficial ‘Fox News’ Channels That Pushed Disinformation
The removals followed a Snopes investigation. The channels had a combined total of millions of subscribers.
Snopes→ Verified, Unofficial ‘Fox News’ YouTube Channels Spread Disinformation
Unofficial "Fox News Alert" YouTube channels with millions of subscribers posted altered video thumbnails to push political conspiracy theories.
Truth or Fiction?→ YouTube Reverses Course, Reinstates Watchdog Site Monitoring Conspiracists
The media watchdog site Right Wing Watch (RWW) was reinstated onto YouTube after the platform initially removed its channel on June 28 2021 for unspecified reasons. “We are glad that by reinstating our account, YouTube recognizes our position tha
Snopes→ Lawmakers Call YouTube Kids a ‘Wasteland of Vapid’ Content
A House subcommittee says the Google-owned video service feeds children inappropriate material so it can serve them ads.
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Trump Have an OnlyFans Account?
As outgoing United States President Donald Trump and his supporters were locked out of some digital platforms, social media users asked — sometimes derisively — if Trump would open an account on the subscription-based service OnlyFans. Two
Truth or Fiction?→ Twisted Tea Circle K Fight Video Spreads Virally
On December 24 2020, “Twisted Tea” became a popular trending term in the wake of footage showing an altercation at an Ohio Circle-K. Footage of the incident, which involved racial slurs and a can of Twisted Tea, was shared to r/PublicFrea
Truth or Fiction?→ How to Fight Disinformation: Introduction and Overview
This is the first of a series about how communities can fight back and protect themselves against weaponized disinformation. In 2015 and 2016, new and paranoid strains of political ideology took social media discourse by storm. The details varied by c
Truth or Fiction?→ Tinkerbell ‘Dotting the I’ Mandela Effect
In late August and early September 2020, discussion of Tinkerbell “dotting the i” in Disney’s animated logo became a hot topic on social media, with one apparently-removed Facebook post racking up a six-figure share count: On Faceboo
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘State of Illinois Definition of a COVID-19 Death’
In July 2020, social media users continued spinning a remark by a top health official in Illinois to claim that death tolls attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic have been inflated around the United States — and to attempt to sow doubt around the
Truth or Fiction?→ Is a Texas Doctor Curing COVID-19 Patients For $50?
A Texas doctor’s claim that he has cured more than 75 patients for COVID-19 for no more than $50 spread widely around Facebook and YouTube before apparently being removed from both platforms. Dr. Brian Procter first drew attention through a phot
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Spirit Halloween Announce It Would Not Open Stores in 2020?
Fans of the Spirit Halloween chain of seasonal stores could be reassured about the chance to shop there in 2020, after a YouTube creator apologized for his role in the false rumor spreading online. “This is a great example to not trust you see o
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Dad, How Do I?’ YouTube Channel Goes Massively Viral During COVID-19 Lockdown
On May 19 2020, a Facebook user shared the following text, alongside a screenshot of a YouTube channel called “Dad, How Do I?” (with an edit included after the post began rapidly spreading): This YouTuber’s dad walked out on his family w
Truth or Fiction?→ Researcher Behind Retracted Paper Launches Anti-Fauci Campaign
The researcher-turned-anti-vaccine activist whose work was publicly redacted by a leading journal resurfaced in May 2020 to attack National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Anthony Fauci and accuse him of spreading disinformation
Truth or Fiction?→ NikkieTutorials (Nikkie de Jager) Comes Out as Transgender
On January 13 2020, YouTube star Nikkie de Jager — known to her fans as NikkieTutorials — revealed in a 17-minute video that she is transgender: I’m coming out. https://t.co/chLHURZKk4 — NikkieTutorials (@NikkieTutorials) January 13, 2
Truth or Fiction?→ ABC News Yanks ‘Slaughter in Syria’ Video Revealed as YouTube Clip Filmed in Kentucky
On October 14 2019, ABC News walked back a story that aired on two of its marquee programs after the footage was revealed to be a YouTube clip filmed in the United States in 2017. “This video obtained by ABC News, appears to show the fury of the
Truth or Fiction?→ Disinformation Peddlers Push ‘October 16th’ Conspiracy Theory
A gaggle of specious blogs and social media accounts set about inflaming tensions for their followers in a set of posts reminiscent of other fake controversies. The posts center on vaguely-worded “threats” and wide-ranging military deploym