Anti-free speech video streaming platform YouTube has taken censorship of medical information to a whole new level by relying on the World Health Organization as the arbiter of truth. 
The platform announced that it will censor any information that goes against the narrative set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other “local health authorities.” If the content in question disagrees with the chosen narrative of health officials, the policy now indicates that it will be removed.
“In the years since we began our efforts to make YouTube a destination for high-quality health content, we’ve learned critical lessons about developing Community Guidelines in line with local and global health authority guidance on topics that pose serious real-world risks, such as misinformation on COVID-19, vaccines, reproductive health, harmful substances, and more,” a blog post on the site read. “We’re taking what we’ve learned so far about the most effective ways to tackle medical misinformation to simplify our approach for creators, viewers, and partners.”
Specifically, the new policies “will apply to specific health conditions, treatments, and substances where content contradicts local health authorities or the World Health Organization (WHO).”
The so-called “medical misinformation” will include the promotion of “unproven remedies” and the denial of whether certain medical conditions actually exist. The policy is broadly written, and it is clear that YouTube will make its censorship decisions based on whatever the government wants users to believe.
“To determine if a condition, treatment or substance is in scope of our medical misinformation policies, we’ll evaluate whether it’s associated with a high public health risk, publicly available guidance from health authorities around the world, and whether it’s generally prone to misinformation,” the post read.
YouTube will also remove “content that promotes cancer treatments proven to be harmful or ineffective, or content that discourages viewers from seeking professional medical treatment.”
This addition to the “misinformation” ban appears to include alternative treatment therapies.
“This includes content that promotes unproven treatments in place of approved care or as a guaranteed cure, and treatments that have been specifically deemed harmful by health authorities,” the blog continued. “For instance, a video that claims ‘garlic cures cancer,’ or ‘take vitamin C instead of radiation therapy’ would be removed.”
YouTube’s new policies will almost assuredly be arbitrarily enforced, just like its COVID-19 “misinformation” policy. MRC Free Speech America consistently reported on YouTube’s policy changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In August 2022, YouTube changed its policies on debating the efficacy of masking to stop the spread of COVID-19. Prior to the policy change the platform had banned: “Claims that wearing a mask causes oxygen levels to drop to dangerous levels,” and “Claims that masks do not play a role in preventing the contraction or transmission of COVID-19.” YouTube later removed the provisions.
The platform also prohibited users from making “Claims that COVID-19 vaccines are not effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19,” but later removed that addendum as well.
YouTube also axed a policy that banned content that criticized social distancing, primarily, “Videos alleging that social distancing and self-isolation are not effective in reducing the spread of the virus.”
The now-archived COVID-19 policy can be read here.
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