YouTube

=== Moderation and offensive content ===
{{See also|Criticism of Google#YouTube|Censorship by Google#YouTube}}
{{Excessive examples|section|date=January 2024}}
{{overly detailed|section|date=January 2024}}
YouTube has a set of community guidelines aimed to reduce abuse of the site's features. The uploading of videos containing defamation, pornography, and material encouraging criminal conduct is forbidden by YouTube's "Community Guidelines".<ref name="guidelines">{{cite web |title=YouTube Community Guidelines |url=https://www.youtube.com/t/community_guidelines |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304150155/https://www.youtube.com/yt/policyandsafety/communityguidelines.html |archive-date=March 4, 2017 |access-date=November 30, 2008 |via=YouTube}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=August 2019}} Generally prohibited material includes sexually explicit content, videos of animal abuse, [[shock site|shock videos]], content uploaded without the copyright holder's consent, hate speech, spam, and predatory behavior.<ref name="guidelines" /> YouTube relies on its users to flag the content of videos as inappropriate, and a YouTube employee will view a flagged video to determine whether it violates the site's guidelines.<ref name="guidelines" /> Despite the guidelines, YouTube has faced criticism over aspects of its operations,<ref name="demonetization">{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=May 10, 2018 |title=The Yellow $: a comprehensive history of demonetization and YouTube's war with creators |url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/5/10/17268102/youtube-demonetization-pewdiepie-logan-paul-casey-neistat-philip-defranco |access-date=November 3, 2019 |website=Polygon |language=en}}</ref> its [[recommender system|recommendation algorithms]] perpetuating [[#Promotion of conspiracy theories and fringe discourse|videos that promote conspiracy theories]] and falsehoods,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wong |first1=Julia Carrie |author-link=Julia Carrie Wong |last2=Levin |first2=Sam |date=January 25, 2019 |title=YouTube vows to recommend fewer conspiracy theory videos |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jan/25/youtube-conspiracy-theory-videos-recommendations |access-date=November 3, 2019 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> hosting videos ostensibly targeting children but containing [[Elsagate|violent or sexually suggestive content involving popular characters]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Orphanides |first=K. G. |date=March 23, 2018 |title=Children's YouTube is still churning out blood, suicide and cannibalism |magazine=Wired UK |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/youtube-for-kids-videos-problems-algorithm-recommend |access-date=November 3, 2019 |issn=1357-0978}}</ref> videos of minors attracting [[Pedophilia|pedophilic]] activities in their comment sections,<ref>{{cite news |last=Orphanides |first=K. G. |date=February 20, 2019 |title=On YouTube, a network of paedophiles is hiding in plain sight |magazine=Wired UK |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/youtube-pedophile-videos-advertising |access-date=November 3, 2019 |issn=1357-0978}}</ref> and fluctuating policies on the types of content that is eligible to be monetized with advertising.<ref name="demonetization" />

YouTube contracts companies to hire content moderators, who view content flagged as potentially violating YouTube's content policies and determines if they should be removed. In September 2020, a class-action suit was filed by a former content moderator who reported developing [[post-traumatic stress disorder]] (PTSD) after an 18-month period on the job. The former content moderator said that she was regularly made to exceed YouTube's stated limit of four hours per day of viewing graphic content. The lawsuit alleges that YouTube's contractors gave little to no training or support for its moderators' mental health, made prospective employees sign NDAs before showing them any examples of content they would see while reviewing, and censored all mention of trauma from its internal forums. It also purports that requests for extremely graphic content to be blurred, reduced in size or made monochrome, per recommendations from the [[National Center for Missing and Exploited Children]], were rejected by YouTube as not a high priority for the company.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kimball |first=Whitney |date=September 22, 2020 |title=Content Moderator Exposed to Child Assault and Animal Torture Sues YouTube |url=https://gizmodo.com/youtube-moderator-sues-over-ptsd-symptoms-lack-of-work-1845143110 |access-date=October 11, 2020 |work=Gizmodo}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Vincent |first=James |date=September 22, 2020 |title=Former YouTube content moderator sues the company after developing symptoms of PTSD |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/22/21450477/youtube-content-moderator-sues-lawsuit-ptsd-graphic-content-exposure |access-date=October 11, 2020 |work=The Verge}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Elias |first=Jennifer |date=September 22, 2020 |title=Former YouTube content moderator describes horrors of the job in new lawsuit |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/22/former-youtube-content-moderator-describes-horrors-of-the-job-in-lawsuit.html |access-date=October 11, 2020 |publisher=CNBC}}</ref>

To limit the spread of misinformation and fake news via YouTube, it has rolled out a comprehensive policy regarding how it plans to deal with technically manipulated videos.<ref>{{cite news |last=Alba |first=Davey |author-link=Davey Alba |date=February 3, 2020 |title=YouTube Says It Will Ban Misleading Election-Related Content |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/03/technology/youtube-misinformation-election.html |access-date=February 10, 2020}}</ref>

Controversial content has included material relating to [[Holocaust denial]] and the [[Hillsborough disaster]], in which 96 football fans from Liverpool were crushed to death in 1989.<ref>{{cite news |title=YouTube criticized in Germany over anti-Semitic Nazi videos |agency=Reuters |url=https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/898004.html |access-date=May 28, 2008 |archive-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517001126/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/898004.html |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Fury as YouTube carries sick Hillsboro video insult |url=https://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline=fury-as-youtube-carries-sick-hillsboro-video-insult%26method=full%26objectid=18729523%26page=1%26siteid=50061-name_page.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320021147/https://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline%3Dfury-as-youtube-carries-sick-hillsboro-video-insult%26method%3Dfull%26objectid%3D18729523%26page%3D1%26siteid%3D50061-name_page.html |archive-date=March 20, 2012 |access-date=November 29, 2015 |publisher=icLiverpool}}</ref> In July 2008, the Culture and Media Committee of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom stated that it was "unimpressed" with YouTube's system for policing its videos, and argued that "proactive review of content should be standard practice for sites hosting user-generated content". YouTube responded by stating:

{{blockquote|We have strict rules on what's allowed, and a system that enables anyone who sees inappropriate content to report it to our 24/7 review team and have it dealt with promptly. We educate our community on the rules and include a direct link from every YouTube page to make this process as easy as possible for our users. Given the volume of content uploaded on our site, we think this is by far the most effective way to make sure that the tiny minority of videos that break the rules come down quickly.<ref>{{cite news |first1=James |last1=Kirkup |first2=Nicole |last2=Martin |title=YouTube attacked by MPs over sex and violence footage |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3358061/YouTube-attacked-by-MPs-over-sex-and-violence-footage.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3358061/YouTube-attacked-by-MPs-over-sex-and-violence-footage.html |archive-date=2022-01-10 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |website=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=July 31, 2008 |access-date=March 26, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> (July 2008)}}

In October 2010, U.S. Congressman [[Anthony Weiner]] urged YouTube to remove from its website videos of imam [[Anwar al-Awlaki]].<ref>{{cite news |date=October 25, 2010 |title=Al-Awlaki's YouTube Videos Targeted by Rep. Weiner |publisher=Fox News |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/10/25/rep-weiner-calls-youtube-al-awlakis-videos/ |access-date=November 13, 2010}}</ref> YouTube pulled some of the videos in November 2010, stating they violated the site's guidelines.<ref>{{cite news |last1=F. Burns |first1=John |last2=Helft |first2=Miguel |date=November 4, 2010 |title=YouTube Withdraws Cleric's Videos |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/05/world/05britain.html |access-date=March 26, 2017 |id={{ProQuest|1458411069}}}}</ref> In December 2010, YouTube added the ability to flag videos for containing terrorism content.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bennett |first=Brian |date=December 12, 2010 |title=YouTube is letting users decide on terrorism-related videos |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-youtube-terror-20101213,0,3375845.story |access-date=November 29, 2015}}</ref>

In 2018, YouTube introduced a system that would automatically add information boxes to videos that its algorithms determined may present conspiracy theories and other [[fake news]], filling the infobox with content from [[Encyclopædia Britannica]] and [[Wikipedia]] as a means to inform users to minimize misinformation propagation without impacting freedom of speech.<ref>{{cite web |last=Newton |first=Casey |date=March 13, 2018 |title=YouTube will add information from Wikipedia to videos about conspiracies |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/13/17117344/youtube-information-cues-conspiracy-theories-susan-wojcicki-sxsw |access-date=April 15, 2019 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=David |date=March 14, 2018 |title=YouTube uses Wikipedia to fight fake news |language=en |work=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/youtube-fights-fake-news-with-wikipedia-frkpc8nm2 |url-status=live |access-date=July 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210927105159/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/youtube-fights-fake-news-with-wikipedia-frkpc8nm2 |archive-date=September 27, 2021 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> In the wake of the [[Notre-Dame fire]] on April 15, 2019, several user-uploaded videos of the landmark fire were flagged by YouTube' system automatically with an Encyclopædia Britannica article on the false conspiracy theories around the [[September 11 attacks]]. Several users complained to YouTube about this inappropriate connection. YouTube officials apologized for this, stating that their algorithms had misidentified the fire videos and added the information block automatically, and were taking steps to remedy this.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bergen |first=Mark |date=April 15, 2019 |title=YouTube Flags Notre-Dame Fire as 9/11 Conspiracy, Says System Made 'Wrong Call' |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-15/youtube-flags-notre-dame-fire-as-9-11-conspiracy-in-wrong-call?srnd=technology-vp |access-date=April 15, 2019 |publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.]]}}</ref>

On April 18, 2023, YouTube revealed its changes in handling content associated with [[eating disorder]]s. This social media platform's Community Guidelines now prohibit content that could encourage emulation from at-risk users. This content includes behavior that shows severe calorie tracking and purging after eating. However, videos featuring positive behavior such as in the context of recovery will be permitted on the platform under two conditions—the user must have a registered (logged-in) account and must be older than 18.
This policy was created in collaboration with nonprofit organizations as well as the National Eating Disorder Association. Garth Graham, YouTube's Global Head of Healthcare revealed in an interview with CNN that this policy change was geared at ensuring that this video-sharing platform provides an avenue for "community recovery and resources" while ensuring continued viewer protection.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/18/tech/youtube-eating-disorder-policies/index.html |title=YouTube rolls out new policies for eating disorder content |publisher=CNN}}</ref>

==== Homophobia and transphobia ====
Five leading content creators whose channels were based on [[LGBTQ+]] materials filed a federal lawsuit against YouTube in August 2019, alleging that YouTube's algorithms divert discovery away from their channels, impacting their revenue. The plaintiffs claimed that the algorithms discourage content with words like "lesbian" or "gay", which would be predominant in their channels' content, and because of YouTube's near-monopolization of online video services, they are abusing that position.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bensinger |first1=Greg |last2=Albergotti |first2=Reed |date=August 14, 2019 |title=YouTube discriminates against LGBT content by unfairly culling it, suit alleges |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/08/14/youtube-discriminates-against-lgbt-content-by-unfairly-culling-it-suit-alleges/ |access-date=August 14, 2019 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>

In June 2022, [[Media Matters]], a media watchdog group, reported that [[homophobic]] and [[transphobic]] content calling LGBT people [[LGBT grooming conspiracy theory|"predators" and "groomers"]] was becoming more common on YouTube.<ref name="lawton_20220623">{{cite web |url=https://www.mediamatters.org/google/right-wing-clickbait-pushing-anti-lgbtq-groomer-smears-are-increasingly-popular-youtube |title=Right-wing clickbait pushing anti-LGBTQ 'groomer' smears are increasingly popular on YouTube |website=Media Matters |last1=Lawton |first1=Sophie |date=June 23, 2022 |access-date=October 23, 2022}}</ref> The report also referred to common accusations in YouTube videos that LGBT people are [[mental illness|mentally ill]].<ref name="lawton_20220623" /> The report stated the content appeared to be in violation of YouTube's hate speech policy.<ref name="lawton_20220623" />

==== Animal torture ====

From 2020 on, the issue of videos featuring animal cruelty on YouTube has started to attract increasing attention in the media. In late 2020, animal welfare charity ''Lady Freethinker'' identified 2,053 videos on YouTube in which they stated animals were "deliberately harmed for entertainment or were shown to be under severe psychological distress, physical pain or dead."<ref>{{cite news|title=
 YouTube must remove videos of animal cruelty, says charity|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/19/youtube-must-remove-videos-of-animal-cruelty-says-charity |work=The GuardianTimes |access-date=December 5, 2023|date=December 19, 2020}}</ref>

In 2021, ''Lady Freethinker'' filed a lawsuit accusing YouTube of a breach of contract in allowing a large number of videos on its site showing animal abuse and failing to remove them when notified. YouTube responded by stating that they had "expanded its policy on animal abuse videos" in 2021, and since the introduction of the new policy "removed hundreds of thousands of videos and terminated thousands of channels for violations."<ref>{{cite news|title=Monkeys killed in blenders by sadistic torture ring that films abuse to sell online |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/19/technology/youtube-sued-animal-abuse.html |access-date=December 4, 2023 |work=The New York Times|date=October 19, 2021}}</ref>

In 2022, Google defeated the ''Lady Freethinker'' lawsuit, with a judge ruling that YouTube was protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, that shields internet platforms from lawsuits based on content posted by their users.<ref>{{cite news|title=Google Defeats Lawsuit Decrying Animal Abuse Videos on YouTube|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-04/google-defeats-lawsuit-decrying-animal-abuse-videos-on-youtube |access-date=December 5, 2023 |work=The New York Times|date=August 4, 2022}}</ref>

In 2023, YouTube stated that animal abuse "has no place on their platforms, and they are working to remove content (of that nature)".<ref name="telegraph/monkey-torture-women-arrested">{{cite news |last1=Newey |first1=Sarah |title=Monkeys killed in blenders by sadistic torture ring that films abuse to sell online |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/06/20/monkey-torture-ring-three-women-arrested-britain-bbc/ |access-date=June 23, 2023 |work=The Telegraph |date=June 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620211907/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/06/20/monkey-torture-ring-three-women-arrested-britain-bbc/ |archive-date=June 20, 2023}}</ref><ref name="bbc/Iot1dIWVS5">{{cite web |title=Hunting the monkey torturers |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/Iot1dIWVS5/hunting-the-monkey-torturers |website=BBC News |access-date=June 23, 2023}}</ref><ref name="express.co.uk/1503840">{{cite news |last1=Pritchard-Jones |first1=Oliver |title=YouTube hosts HUNDREDS of 'disgusting' animal cruelty videos |url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1503840/youtube-news-baby-monkey-torture-animal-cruelty |access-date=June 23, 2023 |work=Daily Express |date=October 10, 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="bbc.co.uk/m001n32l">{{cite web |title=The Monkey Haters |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001n32l |website=BBC Three |publisher=BBC |access-date=June 23, 2023}}</ref><ref name="bbc.co.uk/w3ct5j1p">{{cite web |title=The monkey haters |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5j1p |website=The Documentary |publisher=BBC World Service |access-date=June 23, 2023}}</ref><ref name="vice/custom-baby-monkey-torture-videos">{{cite web |last1=Geiger |first1=Gabriel |title=People Buy Custom Baby Monkey Torture Videos on World's Worst Forum |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kvqgx/people-buy-custom-baby-monkey-torture-videos-on-worlds-worst-forum |website=Vice |access-date=June 23, 2023 |language=en |date=August 13, 2021}}</ref>

==== YouTube as a tool to promote conspiracy theories and far-right content{{anchor|Promotion_of_conspiracy_theories_and_fringe_discourse|Conspiracy_theories_and_fringe_discourse}} ====
YouTube has been criticized for using an algorithm that gives great prominence to videos that promote conspiracy theories, falsehoods and incendiary fringe discourse.<ref name="Darkest">{{cite news |last=Nicas |first=Jack |date=February 7, 2018 |title=How YouTube Drives People to the Internet's Darkest Corners |language=en-US |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-youtube-drives-viewers-to-the-internets-darkest-corners-1518020478 |access-date=June 16, 2018 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=As Germans Seek News, YouTube Delivers Far-Right Tirades |newspaper=The New York Times |date=September 7, 2018 |language=en |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/07/world/europe/youtube-far-right-extremism.html |access-date=September 8, 2018 |last1=Fisher |first1=Max |last2=Bennhold |first2=Katrin}}</ref><ref name="secret life">{{cite news |last1=Ingram |first1=Matthew |title=YouTube's secret life as an engine for right-wing radicalization |language=en |work=Columbia Journalism Review |issue=September 19, 2018 |url=https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/youtube-conspiracy-radicalization.php |access-date=March 26, 2019}}</ref> According to an investigation by ''The Wall Street Journal'', "YouTube's recommendations often lead users to channels that feature conspiracy theories, partisan viewpoints and misleading videos, even when those users haven't shown interest in such content. When users show a political bias in what they choose to view, YouTube typically recommends videos that echo those biases, often with more-extreme viewpoints."<ref name="Darkest" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Rebecca |date=September 2018 |title=Alternative Influence: Broadcasting the Reactionary Right on YouTube |url=https://datasociety.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/DS_Alternative_Influence.pdf |access-date=March 26, 2019 |website=datasociety.net |publisher=Data and Society}}</ref> When users search for political or scientific terms, YouTube's search algorithms often give prominence to hoaxes and conspiracy theories.<ref name="secret life" /><ref>{{cite news |title=YouTube wants the news audience, but not the responsibility |language=en |work=Columbia Journalism Review |url=https://www.cjr.org/innovations/youtube-wants-the-news-audience-but-not-the-responsibility.php |access-date=September 23, 2018}}</ref> After YouTube drew controversy for giving top billing to videos promoting falsehoods and conspiracy when people made breaking-news queries during the [[2017 Las Vegas shooting]], YouTube changed its algorithm to give greater prominence to mainstream media sources.<ref name="Darkest" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Nicas |first=Jack |date=October 6, 2017 |title=YouTube Tweaks Search Results as Las Vegas Conspiracy Theories Rise to Top |language=en-US |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/youtube-tweaks-its-search-results-after-rise-of-las-vegas-conspiracy-theories-1507219180 |access-date=June 16, 2018 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Here's How YouTube Is Spreading Conspiracy Theories About The Vegas Shooting |language=en |work=BuzzFeed |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/heres-how-youtube-is-spreading-conspiracy-theories-about |access-date=June 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Big Tech Platforms Still Suck During Breaking News |language=en |work=BuzzFeed |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/the-big-tech-platforms-are-still-botching-breaking-news |access-date=June 16, 2018}}</ref> In 2018, it was reported that YouTube was again promoting fringe content about breaking news, giving great prominence to conspiracy videos about [[Anthony Bourdain]]'s death.<ref>{{cite news |last=Alba |first=Davey |date=June 16, 2018 |title=YouTube Is Spreading Conspiracy Theories about Anthony Bourdain's Death |language=en |work=[[BuzzFeed News]] |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/daveyalba/conspiracy-theories-about-anthony-bourdains-death-are |access-date=June 16, 2018}}</ref>

In 2017, it was revealed that advertisements were being placed on extremist videos, including videos by rape apologists, anti-Semites, and hate preachers who received ad payouts.<ref name="apologises">{{cite news |date=March 20, 2017 |title=Google apologises as M&S pulls ads |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-39325916 |access-date=June 16, 2018}}</ref> After firms started to stop advertising on YouTube in the wake of this reporting, YouTube apologized and said that it would give firms greater control over where ads got placed.<ref name="apologises" />

[[Alex Jones]], known for far-right conspiracy theories, had built a massive audience on YouTube.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Paul |date=February 2, 2018 |title='Fiction is outperforming reality': how YouTube's algorithm distorts truth |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/02/how-youtubes-algorithm-distorts-truth |access-date=June 16, 2018 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> YouTube drew criticism in 2018 when it removed a video from [[Media Matters]] compiling offensive statements made by Jones, stating that it violated its policies on "harassment and bullying".<ref>{{cite news |last=Levin |first=Sam |date=April 23, 2018 |title=YouTube under fire for censoring video exposing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones |language=en |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/23/youtube-alex-jones-sandy-hook-media-matters-video |access-date=June 16, 2018}}</ref> On August 6, 2018, however, YouTube removed Alex Jones' YouTube page following a content violation.<ref>Salinas, Sara (August 6, 2018). [https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/06/youtube-removes-alex-jones-account-following-earlier-bans.html "YouTube removes Alex Jones' page, following bans from Apple and Facebook."] [[CNBC]]. Retrieved October 15, 2018.</ref>

University of North Carolina professor [[Zeynep Tufekci]] has referred to YouTube as "The Great Radicalizer", saying "YouTube may be one of the most powerful radicalizing instruments of the 21st century."<ref>{{cite news |title=Opinion {{!}} YouTube, the Great Radicalizer |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 10, 2018 |language=en |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/10/opinion/sunday/youtube-politics-radical.html |access-date=June 16, 2018 |last1=Tufekci |first1=Zeynep |id={{ProQuest|2610860590}}}}</ref> Jonathan Albright of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University described YouTube as a "conspiracy ecosystem".<ref name="secret life" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Parkland shooting 'crisis actor' videos lead users to a 'conspiracy ecosystem' on YouTube, new research shows |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/02/25/parkland-shooting-crisis-actor-videos-lead-users-to-a-conspiracy-ecosystem-on-youtube-new-research-shows/ |access-date=September 23, 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en}}</ref>

In January 2019, YouTube said that it had introduced a new policy starting in the United States intended to stop recommending videos containing "content that could misinform users in harmful ways." YouTube gave [[Modern flat Earth societies|flat earth theories]], miracle cures, and [[9/11 Truth movement|9/11 truther-isms]] as examples.<ref>{{cite news |last=Weill |first=Kelly |date=January 25, 2019 |title=YouTube Tweaks Algorithm to Fight 9/11 Truthers, Flat Earthers, Miracle Cures |language=en |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/youtube-tweaks-algorithm-to-fight-911-truthers-flat-earthers-miracle-cures |access-date=January 29, 2019}}</ref> Efforts within YouTube engineering to stop recommending borderline extremist videos falling just short of forbidden hate speech, and track their popularity were originally rejected because they could interfere with viewer engagement.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bergen |first1=Mark |date=April 2, 2019 |title=YouTube Executives Ignored Warnings, Letting Toxic Videos Run Rampant |work=Bloomberg News |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-04-02/youtube-executives-ignored-warnings-letting-toxic-videos-run-rampant |access-date=April 2, 2019}}</ref>

In January 2019, the site announced it would be implementing measures directed towards "raising authoritative content and reducing borderline content and harmful misinformation."<ref name="neo-Nazi">{{Cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=June 5, 2019 |title=YouTube bans neo-Nazi and Holocaust-denial videos in push against hate speech |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/06/youtube-bans-neo-nazi-and-holocaust-denial-videos-in-push-against-hate-speech/ |access-date=February 2, 2024 |website=[[Ars Technica]] |language=en-us}}</ref> That June, YouTube announced it would be banning [[Holocaust denial]] and [[Neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]] content.<ref name="neo-Nazi" /> YouTube has blocked the neo-Nazi propaganda film ''[[Europa: The Last Battle]]'' from being uploaded.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 13, 2021 |title=Antisemitism in the Digital Age: Online Antisemitic Hate, Holocaust Denial, Conspiracy Ideologies and Terrorism in Europe |url=https://hopenothate.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/google-report-2021-10-v3.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231116055750/https://hopenothate.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/google-report-2021-10-v3.pdf |archive-date=November 16, 2023 |access-date=September 23, 2023 |website=Hope not Hate |page=34}}</ref>

Multiple research studies have investigated cases of misinformation in YouTube. In a July 2019 study based on ten YouTube searches using the [[Tor Browser]] related to climate and climate change, the majority of videos were videos that communicated views contrary to the [[scientific consensus on climate change]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Allgaier |first=Joachim |date=July 25, 2019 |title=Science and Environmental Communication on YouTube: Strategically Distorted Communications in Online Videos on Climate Change and Climate Engineering |journal=Frontiers in Communication |volume=4 |doi=10.3389/fcomm.2019.00036 |issn=2297-900X |doi-access=free}}</ref> A May 2023 study found that YouTube was monetizing and profiting from videos that included misinformation about climate change.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 4, 2023 |title=Google profiting from climate misinformation on YouTube, report finds |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/google-youtube-climate-disinformation-ads-b2331573.html |access-date=August 27, 2023 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> A 2019 BBC investigation of YouTube searches in ten different languages found that YouTube's algorithm promoted health misinformation, including fake cancer cures.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carmichael |first1=Flora |last2=Gragani |first2=Juliana |others=Beyond Fake News & B.B.C. Monitoring |title=How YouTube makes money from fake cancer cure videos |work=BBC News |date=September 12, 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-49483681 |access-date=September 27, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> In Brazil, YouTube has been linked to pushing pseudoscientific misinformation on health matters, as well as elevated far-right fringe discourse and conspiracy theories.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fisher |first1=Max |last2=Taub |first2=Amanda |date=August 11, 2019 |title=How YouTube Radicalized Brazil |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/11/world/americas/youtube-brazil.html |access-date=August 12, 2019 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In the Philippines, numerous channels disseminated misinformation related to the [[2022 Philippine general election|2022 Philippine elections]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Tuquero |first=Loreben |title=Red flag for 2022: Political lies go unchecked on YouTube showbiz channels |url=https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/political-lies-unchecked-youtube-showbiz-channels-red-flag-candidates-2022 |access-date=September 23, 2021 |work=[[Rappler]] |publisher=Rappler Inc. |date=September 22, 2021 |location=[[Manila]], Philippines}}</ref> Additionally, research on the dissemination of [[Modern flat Earth beliefs|Flat Earth]] beliefs in social media, has shown that networks of YouTube channels form an echo chamber that polarizes audiences by appearing to confirm preexisting beliefs.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Diaz Ruiz |first1=Carlos |last2=Nilsson |first2=Tomas |date=August 8, 2022 |title=Disinformation and Echo Chambers: How Disinformation Circulates on Social Media Through Identity-Driven Controversies |journal=Journal of Public Policy & Marketing |volume=42 |language=en |pages=18–35 |doi=10.1177/07439156221103852 |s2cid=248934562 |issn=0743-9156 |doi-access=}}</ref>

==== Use among white supremacists ====
Before 2019, YouTube took steps to remove specific videos or channels related to [[Supremacism|supremacist]] content that had violated its acceptable use policies but otherwise did not have site-wide policies against [[hate speech]].<ref name="youtubeblog june2019">{{cite web |date=June 5, 2019 |title=Our ongoing work to tackle hate |url=https://youtube.googleblog.com/2019/06/our-ongoing-work-to-tackle-hate.html |access-date=April 9, 2020 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

In the wake of the March 2019 [[Christchurch mosque attacks]], YouTube and other sites like Facebook and Twitter that allowed user-submitted content drew criticism for doing little to moderate and control the spread of hate speech, which was considered to be a factor in the rationale for the attacks.<ref>{{cite web |last=Robertson |first=Adi |date=March 15, 2019 |title=Questions about policing online hate are much bigger than Facebook and YouTube |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/15/18267638/new-zealand-christchurch-mass-shooting-online-hate-facebook-youtube |access-date=April 9, 2020 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Timberg |first1=Craig |last2=Harwell |first2=Drew |last3=Shaban |first3=Hamza |last4=Ba Tran |first4=Andrew |last5=Fung |first5=Brian |date=March 15, 2020 |title=The New Zealand shooting shows how YouTube and Facebook spread hate and violent images – yet again |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/03/15/facebook-youtube-twitter-amplified-video-christchurch-mosque-shooting/ |access-date=April 9, 2020 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> These platforms were pressured to remove such content, but in an interview with ''[[The New York Times]]'', YouTube's chief product officer Neal Mohan said that unlike content such as [[ISIS]] videos which take a particular format and thus easy to detect through computer-aided algorithms, general hate speech was more difficult to recognize and handle, and thus could not readily take action to remove without human interaction.<ref>{{cite web |last=Roose |first=Kevin |date=March 29, 2019 |title=YouTube's Product Chief on Online Radicalization and Algorithmic Rabbit Holes |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/29/technology/youtube-online-extremism.html |access-date=April 9, 2020 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

YouTube joined an initiative led by France and New Zealand with other countries and tech companies in May 2019 to develop tools to be used to block [[online hate speech]] and to develop regulations, to be implemented at the national level, to be levied against technology firms that failed to take steps to remove such speech, though the United States declined to participate.<ref>{{cite web |last=Browne |first=Ryan |date=May 15, 2019 |title=New Zealand and France unveil plans to tackle online extremism without the US on board |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/15/new-zealand-france-unveil-plans-to-tackle-online-extremism-without-us.html |access-date=April 9, 2020 |publisher=[[CNBC]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Willsher |first=Kim |date=May 15, 2019 |title=Leaders and tech firms pledge to tackle extremist violence online |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/15/jacinda-ardern-emmanuel-macron-christchurch-call-summit-extremist-violence-online |access-date=April 9, 2020 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> Subsequently, on June 5, 2019, YouTube announced a major change to its terms of service, "specifically prohibiting videos alleging that a group is superior in order to justify discrimination, segregation or exclusion based on qualities like age, gender, race, caste, religion, sexual orientation or veteran status." YouTube identified specific examples of such videos as those that "promote or glorify Nazi ideology, which is inherently discriminatory". YouTube further stated it would "remove content denying that well-documented violent events, like the Holocaust or the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, took place."<ref name="youtubeblog june2019" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Newton |first=Casey |date=June 5, 2019 |title=YouTube just banned supremacist content, and thousands of channels are about to be removed |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/5/18652576/youtube-supremacist-content-ban-borderline-extremist-terms-of-service |access-date=April 9, 2020 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref>

In October 2019, YouTube banned the main channel of [[Red Ice]], a white supremacist multimedia company, for hate speech violations. The channel had about 330,000 subscribers. [[Lana Lokteff]] and Red Ice promoted a backup channel in an attempt to circumvent the ban.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ramirez |first1=Nikki McCann |date=October 18, 2019 |title=White nationalist Red Ice TV is promoting a backup channel to skirt its YouTube ban |language=en |work=[[Media Matters for America]] |url=https://www.mediamatters.org/white-nationalism/how-white-nationalist-red-ice-tv-working-around-its-youtube-ban |url-status=live |access-date=October 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020215745/https://www.mediamatters.org/white-nationalism/how-white-nationalist-red-ice-tv-working-around-its-youtube-ban |archive-date=October 20, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Gais |first1=Hannah |date=October 21, 2019 |title=YouTube Takes Down Red Ice's Main Channel |language=en |work=HateWatch |publisher=[[Southern Poverty Law Center]] |url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2019/10/21/youtube-takes-down-red-ices-main-channel |url-status=live |access-date=October 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022081513/https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2019/10/21/youtube-takes-down-red-ices-main-channel |archive-date=October 22, 2019}}</ref> A week later, the backup channel was also removed by YouTube.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gais |first1=Hannah |date=October 23, 2019 |title=YouTube Yanks Second Red Ice Channel |language=en |work=HateWatch |publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center |url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2019/10/23/youtube-yanks-second-red-ice-channel |url-status=live |access-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025010112/https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2019/10/23/youtube-yanks-second-red-ice-channel |archive-date=October 25, 2019}}</ref><ref name="DailyDot">{{cite news |last1=Katzowitz |first1=Josh |date=October 24, 2019 |title=Red Ice, a popular white supremacist YouTube channel, has been shut down |language=en |work=[[The Daily Dot]] |url=https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/red-ice-youtube-ban/ |url-status=live |access-date=November 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191028205415/https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/red-ice-youtube-ban/ |archive-date=October 28, 2019}}</ref>

In June 2020, YouTube banned several channels associated with white supremacy, including those of [[Stefan Molyneux]], [[David Duke]], and [[Richard B. Spencer]], asserting these channels violated their policies on hate speech. The ban occurred the same day that [[Reddit]] announced the ban on several hate speech sub-forums including [[r/The Donald]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=June 29, 2020 |title=YouTube bans Stefan Molyneux, David Duke, Richard Spencer, and more for hate speech |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/29/21307303/youtube-bans-molyneux-duke-richard-spencer-conduct-hate-speech |access-date=June 29, 2020 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref>

==== Handling of COVID-19 pandemic and other misinformation ====
Following the dissemination via YouTube of [[misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic]] that [[5G]] communications technology was responsible for the spread of [[coronavirus disease 2019]] which led to multiple 5G towers in the United Kingdom being attacked by arsonists, YouTube removed all such videos linking 5G and the coronavirus in this manner.<ref name="guardian-youtube-to-suppress-content-spreading-coronavirus-5g-conspiracy-theory">{{cite news |last=Hern |first=Alex |date=April 5, 2020 |title=YouTube moves to limit spread of false coronavirus 5G theory |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/05/youtube-to-suppress-content-spreading-coronavirus-5g-conspiracy-theory |access-date=April 5, 2020}}</ref>

In September 2021, YouTube extended this policy to cover videos disseminating misinformation related to any vaccine, including those long approved against measles or Hepatitis B, that had received approval from local health authorities or the [[World Health Organization]].<ref name="WaPo20210929">{{cite news |last=Pannett |first=Rachel |date=January 29, 2021 |title=Russia threatens to block YouTube after German channels are deleted over coronavirus misinformation |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/09/29/russia-ban-youtube-german-coronavirus/ |access-date=September 30, 2021}}</ref><ref name="NYT20210929">{{cite news |last=Alba |first=Davey |author-link=Davey Alba |date=September 29, 2021 |title=YouTube bans all anti-vaccine misinformation |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/29/technology/youtube-anti-vaxx-ban.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/29/technology/youtube-anti-vaxx-ban.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited |access-date=September 30, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The platform proceeded to remove the accounts of anti-vaccine campaigners such as [[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]] and [[Joseph Mercola]].<ref name="NYT20210929" />

YouTube had extended this moderation to non-medical areas. In the weeks following the [[2020 United States presidential election]], the site added policies to remove or label videos promoting election fraud claims;<ref>{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/youtube-election-misinformation-removal-74ca3738e2774c9a4cf8fbd1e977710f |title=Weeks after election, YouTube cracks down on misinformation |first=Barbara |last=Ortutay |date=December 9, 2020 |access-date=June 2, 2023 |work=[[Associated Press News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Timothy B. |date=December 9, 2020 |title=YouTube bans videos claiming Trump won |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/12/youtube-bans-videos-claiming-trump-won/ |access-date=January 31, 2024 |website=[[Ars Technica]] |language=en-us}}</ref> however, it reversed this policy in June 2023, citing that the removal was necessary to "openly debate political ideas, even those that are controversial or based on disproven assumptions".<ref>{{cite news |date=June 1, 2023 |title=YouTube changes policy to allow false claims about past US presidential elections |url=https://apnews.com/article/youtube-election-misinformation-policy-42a6c1b7623c485dbc04eb76ad443247 |access-date=June 2, 2023 |work=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=June 2, 2023 |title=YouTube now allows videos that falsely claim Trump won 2020 election |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/06/youtube-now-allows-videos-that-falsely-claim-trump-won-2020-election/ |access-date=January 31, 2024 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref>

Google and YouTube implemented policies in October 2021 to deny monetization or revenue to advertisers or content creators that promoted [[climate change denial]], which "includes content referring to climate change as a hoax or a scam, claims denying that long-term trends show the global climate is warming, and claims denying that greenhouse gas emissions or human activity contribute to climate change."<ref>{{cite web |last=Peters |first=Jay |date=October 7, 2021 |title=Google and YouTube will cut off ad money for climate change deniers |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/7/22715102/google-youtube-climate-change-deniers-ads-monetization |work=[[The Verge]] |access-date=October 7, 2021}}</ref> In January 2024, the [[Center for Countering Digital Hate]] reported that climate change deniers were instead pushing other forms of climate change denial that have not yet been banned by YouTube, including false claims that global warming is "beneficial or harmless", and which undermined climate solutions and [[climate science]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Belanger |first=Ashley |date=January 16, 2024 |title=Climate denialists find new ways to monetize disinformation on YouTube |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/01/youtube-profits-from-videos-claiming-global-warming-is-beneficial/ |access-date=January 31, 2024 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 17, 2024 |title=YouTube making money off new breed of climate denial, monitoring group says |url=https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/youtube-making-money-off-new-breed-climate-denial-monitoring-group-says-2024-01-16/ |access-date=January 31, 2024 |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>

In July 2022, YouTube announced policies to combat misinformation surrounding [[abortion]], such as videos with instructions to perform abortion methods that are considered unsafe and videos that contain misinformation about the [[safety of abortion]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Elias |first=Jennifer |date=July 21, 2022 |title=YouTube says it will crack down on abortion misinformation and remove videos with false claims |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/21/youtube-says-it-will-crack-down-on-abortion-misinformation.html |access-date=July 21, 2022 |publisher=CNBC |language=en}}</ref>

==== Child safety and wellbeing ====
{{See also|FamilyOFive|Fantastic Adventures scandal|Elsagate}}
Leading into 2017, there was a significant increase in the number of videos related to children, coupled between the popularity of parents vlogging their family's activities, and previous content creators moving away from content that often was criticized or demonetized into family-friendly material. In 2017, YouTube reported that time watching family vloggers had increased by 90%.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Luscombe |first=Belinda |date=May 18, 2017 |title=The YouTube Parents Who are Turning Family Moments into Big Bucks |url=https://time.com/4783215/growing-up-in-public/ |access-date=June 21, 2019 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=June 21, 2019 |title=YouTube can't remove kid videos without tearing a hole in the entire creator ecosystem |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/21/18651223/youtube-kids-harmful-content-predator-comments-family-vlogging |access-date=June 21, 2019 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref> However, with the increase in videos featuring children, the site began to face several controversies related to [[Child protection|child safety]]. During Q2 2017, the owners of popular channel [[FamilyOFive]], which featured themselves playing "pranks" on their children, were accused of [[child abuse]]. Their videos were eventually deleted, and two of their children were removed from their custody.<ref name="Ohlheiser2017">{{cite news |last=Ohlheiser |first=Abby |date=April 26, 2017 |title=The saga of a YouTube family who pulled disturbing pranks on their own kids |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2017/04/25/the-saga-of-a-youtube-family-who-pulled-disturbing-pranks-on-their-own-kids/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref name="Cresci2017">{{cite news |last=Cresci |first=Elena |date=May 7, 2017 |title=Mean stream: how YouTube prank channel DaddyOFive enraged the internet |language=en-GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/shortcuts/2017/may/07/when-youtube-pranks-go-horribly-wrong |access-date=June 7, 2017 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name="Dunphy2017">{{cite web |last=Dunphy |first=Rachel |date=April 28, 2017 |title=The Abusive 'Pranks' of YouTube Family Vloggers |url=https://nymag.com/selectall/2017/04/daddyofive-youtube-abuse-controversy-explained.html |access-date=July 9, 2017 |work=[[New York Magazine]]}}</ref><ref name="Gajanan2017">{{cite magazine |last=Gajanan |first=Mahita |date=May 3, 2017 |title=YouTube Star DaddyOFive Loses Custody of 2 Children Shown in 'Prank' Videos |url=https://time.com/4763981/daddyofive-mike-martin-heather-martin-youtube-prank-custody/ |access-date=July 9, 2017 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> A similar case happened in 2019 when the owner of the channel [[Fantastic Adventures scandal|Fantastic Adventures]] was accused of abusing her adopted children. Her videos would later be deleted.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Eric |last1=Levenson |first2=Mel |last2=Alonso |title=A mom on a popular YouTube show is accused of pepper-spraying her kids when they flubbed their lines |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/20/us/youtube-fantastic-adventures-mom-arrest-trnd/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=March 20, 2019}}</ref>

Later that year, YouTube came under criticism for showing inappropriate videos targeted at children and often featuring popular characters in violent, sexual or otherwise disturbing situations, many of which appeared on [[YouTube Kids]] and attracted millions of views. The term "[[Elsagate]]" was coined on the Internet and then used by various news outlets to refer to this controversy.<ref>Ben Popper, [https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/20/14489052/youtube-kids-videos-superheroes-disney-characters-fart-jokes Adults dressed as superheroes is YouTube's new, strange, and massively popular genre], ''The Verge'', February 4, 2017</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=March 31, 2017 |title=Report: Thousands of videos mimicking popular cartoons on YouTube Kids contain inappropriate content |url=https://news10.com/2017/03/31/report-thousands-of-videos-mimicking-popular-cartoons-on-youtube-kids-contain-inappropriate-content/ |access-date=April 30, 2017 |website=NEWS10 ABC}}</ref><ref name="NYT">{{cite web |last=Maheshwari |first=Sapna |date=November 4, 2017 |title=Child Friendly? Startling Videos Slip Past Filters |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/04/business/media/youtube-kids-paw-patrol.html |url-access=limited |website=The New York Times |id={{ProQuest|2463387110}}}}</ref><ref name="forbes">Dani Di Placido, [https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2017/11/28/youtubes-elsagate-illuminates-the-unintended-horrors-of-the-digital-age/ YouTube's "Elsagate" Illuminates The Unintended Horrors Of The Digital Age], ''[[Forbes (magazine)|Forbes]]'', November 28, 2017</ref> On November 11, 2017, YouTube announced it was strengthening site security to protect children from unsuitable content. Later that month, the company started to mass delete videos and channels that made improper use of family-friendly characters. As part of a broader concern regarding child safety on YouTube, the wave of deletions also targeted channels that showed children taking part in inappropriate or dangerous activities under the guidance of adults. Most notably, the company removed ''[[Toy Freaks]]'', a channel with over 8.5&nbsp;million subscribers, that featured a father and his two daughters in odd and upsetting situations.<ref name="auto">Todd Spangler, [https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/youtube-toy-freaks-channel-terminated-1202617834/ YouTube Terminates Toy Freaks Channel Amid Broader Crackdown on Disturbing Kids' Content], ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', November 17, 2017</ref><ref name="verge">{{cite news |last=Popper |first=Ben |date=November 9, 2017 |title=YouTube says it will crack down on bizarre videos targeting children |work=[[The Verge]] |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/9/16629788/youtube-kids-distrubing-inappropriate-flag-age-restrict |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116090955/https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/9/16629788/youtube-kids-distrubing-inappropriate-flag-age-restrict |archive-date=November 16, 2017 |quote=In August of this year, YouTube announced that it would no longer allow creators to monetize videos which "made inappropriate use of family-friendly characters." Today it's taking another step to try to police this genre.}}</ref><ref>Sarah Templeton, [https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2017/11/disturbing-elsagate-toy-freaks-videos-removed-from-youtube-after-abuse-allegations.html Disturbing 'ElsaGate', 'Toy Freaks' videos removed from YouTube after abuse allegations], ''[[Newshub]]'', November 22, 2017</ref><ref>[https://abcnews.go.com/US/youtube-crack-videos-showing-child-endangerment/story?id=51336368 YouTube to crack down on videos showing child endangerment], ''[[ABC News]]'', November 22, 2017</ref><ref>Charlie Warzel, [https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/youtube-is-addressing-its-massive-child-exploitation-problem YouTube Is Addressing Its Massive Child Exploitation Problem] [[BuzzFeed]], November 22, 2017</ref> According to analytics specialist SocialBlade, it earned up to $11.2&nbsp;million annually prior to its deletion in November 2017.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bridge |first1=Mark |last2=Mostrous |first2=Alexi |date=November 18, 2017 |title=Child abuse on YouTube |newspaper=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/child-abuse-on-youtube-q3x9zfkch |url-access=subscription |access-date=November 28, 2017}}</ref>

Even for content that appears to be aimed at children and appears to contain only child-friendly content, YouTube's system allows for anonymity of who uploads these videos. These questions have been raised in the past, as YouTube has had to remove channels with children's content which, after becoming popular, then suddenly include inappropriate content masked as children's content.<ref name="WSJ kids love">{{cite news |last1=Koh |first1=Yoree |last2=Morris |first2=Betsy |date=April 11, 2019 |title=Kids Love These YouTube Channels. Who Creates Them Is a Mystery. |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/kids-love-these-youtube-channels-who-creates-them-is-a-mystery-11554975000 |url-access=registration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814180500/https://www.wsj.com/articles/kids-love-these-youtube-channels-who-creates-them-is-a-mystery-11554975000 |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |access-date=August 14, 2019}}</ref> Alternative, some of the most-watched children's programming on YouTube comes from channels that have no identifiable owners, raising concerns of intent and purpose. One channel that had been of concern was "[[Cocomelon – Nursery Rhymes|Cocomelon]]" which provided numerous mass-produced animated videos aimed at children. Up through 2019, it had drawn up to {{USD|10 million}} a month in ad revenue and was one of the largest kid-friendly channels on YouTube before 2020. Ownership of Cocomelon was unclear outside of its ties to "Treasure Studio", itself an unknown entity, raising questions as to the channel's purpose,<ref name="WSJ kids love" /><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Martineau |first=Paris |title=YouTube Has Kid Troubles Because Kids Are a Core Audience |url=https://www.wired.com/story/youtube-kid-troubles-kids-core-audience/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190811205146/https://www.wired.com/story/youtube-kid-troubles-kids-core-audience/ |archive-date=August 11, 2019 |access-date=August 14, 2019 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Graham |first=Jefferson |date=June 22, 2019 |title=Why YouTube's kid issues are so serious |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2019/06/22/nursery-rhymes-i-toy-story-porn-youtube-thats-kid-problem/1529724001/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814181002/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2019/06/22/nursery-rhymes-i-toy-story-porn-youtube-thats-kid-problem/1529724001/ |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |access-date=August 14, 2019 |website=USA Today}}</ref> but ''[[Bloomberg News]]'' had been able to confirm and interview the small team of American owners in February 2020 regarding "Cocomelon", who stated their goal for the channel was to simply entertain children, wanting to keep to themselves to avoid attention from outside investors.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bergan |first1=Mark |last2=Shaw |first2=Lucas |date=February 10, 2020 |title=YouTube's Secretive Top Kids Channel Expands Into Merchandise |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-10/popular-youtube-kids-channel-cocomelon-gets-into-merch-and-toys |access-date=June 15, 2020 |work=[[Bloomberg News]]}}</ref> The anonymity of such channel raise concerns because of the lack of knowledge of what purpose they are trying to serve.<ref name="vice kids content">{{cite web |last=Haskins |first=Caroline |date=March 19, 2019 |title=YouTubers Are Fighting Algorithms to Make Good Content for Kids |url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mbznpy/youtubers-are-fighting-algorithms-to-make-good-content-for-kids |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814182839/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mbznpy/youtubers-are-fighting-algorithms-to-make-good-content-for-kids |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |access-date=August 14, 2019 |website=[[Vice Media|Vice]]}}</ref> The difficulty to identify who operates these channels "adds to the lack of accountability", according to Josh Golin of the [[Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood]], and educational consultant Renée Chernow-O'Leary found the videos were designed to entertain with no intent to educate, all leading to critics and parents to be concerned for their children becoming too enraptured by the content from these channels.<ref name="WSJ kids love" /> Content creators that earnestly make child-friendly videos have found it difficult to compete with larger channels, unable to produce content at the same rate as them, and lacking the same means of being promoted through YouTube's recommendation algorithms that the larger animated channel networks have shared.<ref name="vice kids content" />

In January 2019, YouTube officially banned videos containing "challenges that encourage acts that have an inherent risk of severe physical harm" (such as the [[Consumption of Tide Pods|Tide Pod Challenge]]) and videos featuring pranks that "make victims believe they're in physical danger" or cause emotional distress in children.<ref>{{cite web |last=Palladino |first=Valentina |date=January 16, 2019 |title=YouTube updates policies to explicitly ban dangerous pranks, challenges |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/01/youtube-updates-policies-to-explicitly-ban-dangerous-pranks-challenges/ |access-date=January 16, 2019 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref>

==== Sexualization of children and pedophilia ====
{{See also|Elsagate}}

Also in November 2017, it was revealed in the media that many videos featuring children—often uploaded by the minors themselves, and showing innocent content such as the children playing with toys or performing gymnastics—were attracting comments from [[Pedophilia|pedophiles]]<ref>[https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/15/16656706/youtube-videos-children-comments YouTube videos of children are plagued by sexual comments], ''[[The Verge]]'', November 15, 2017</ref><ref name="habits">{{cite news |last1=Mostrous |first1=Alexi |last2=Bridge |first2=Mark |last3=Gibbons |first3=Katie |date=November 24, 2017 |title=YouTube adverts fund paedophile habits |newspaper=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/youtube-adverts-fund-paedophile-habits-fdzfmqlr5 |url-access=subscription |access-date=November 28, 2017}}</ref> with predators finding the videos through private YouTube playlists or typing in certain keywords in Russian.<ref name="habits" /> Other child-centric videos originally uploaded to YouTube began propagating on the [[dark web]], and uploaded or embedded onto forums known to be used by pedophiles.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tait |first=Amelia |date=April 24, 2016 |title=Why YouTube mums are taking their kids offline |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/observations/2016/04/why-youtube-mums-are-taking-their-kids-offline |access-date=June 21, 2019 |work=[[New Statesman]]}}</ref>

As a result of the controversy, which added to the concern about "Elsagate", several major advertisers whose ads had been running against such videos froze spending on YouTube.<ref name="forbes" /><ref>Todd Spangler, [https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/youtube-ad-boycott-pedophile-sexual-children-videos-1202622790/ YouTube Faces Advertiser Boycott Over Videos With Kids That Attracted Sexual Predators], ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', November 25, 2017</ref> In December 2018, ''[[The Times]]'' found more than 100 grooming cases in which children were manipulated into sexually implicit behavior (such as taking off clothes, adopting overtly sexual poses and touching other children inappropriately) by strangers.<ref name="Paedophiles">{{cite news |author1=Harry Shukman |author2=Mark Bridge |date=December 10, 2018 |title=Paedophiles grooming children live on YouTube |language=en |work=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/paedophiles-grooming-children-live-on-youtube-3fv8gt730 |issn=0140-0460 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210055232/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/paedophiles-grooming-children-live-on-youtube-3fv8gt730 |archive-date=December 10, 2018 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref> After a reporter flagged the videos in question, half of them were removed, and the rest were removed after ''The Times'' contacted YouTube's PR department.<ref name="Paedophiles" />

In February 2019, YouTube vlogger Matt Watson identified a "wormhole" that would cause the YouTube recommendation algorithm to draw users into this type of video content, and make all of that user's recommended content feature only these types of videos.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lieber |first1=Chavie |title=YouTube has a pedophilia problem, and its advertisers are jumping ship |url=https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/27/18241961/youtube-pedophile-ring-child-safety-advertisers-pulling-ads |website=vox.com |date=March 1, 2019}}</ref> Most of these videos had comments from sexual predators commenting with timestamps of when the children were shown in compromising positions or otherwise making indecent remarks. In some cases, other users had re-uploaded the video in unlisted form but with incoming links from other videos, and then monetized these, propagating this network.<ref name="bloomberg mwatson">{{cite news |last1=Bergen |first1=Mark |last2=de Vynck |first2=Gerrit |last3=Palmeri |first3=Christopher |date=February 20, 2019 |title=Nestle, Disney Pull YouTube Ads, Joining Furor Over Child Videos |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-20/disney-pulls-youtube-ads-amid-concerns-over-child-video-voyeurs |access-date=February 20, 2019 |work=[[Bloomberg News]]}}</ref> In the wake of the controversy, the service reported that they had deleted over 400 channels and tens of millions of comments, and reported the offending users to law enforcement and the [[National Center for Missing and Exploited Children]]. A spokesperson explained that "any content—including comments—that endangers minors is abhorrent and we have clear policies prohibiting this on YouTube. There's more to be done, and we continue to work to improve and catch abuse more quickly."<ref>{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=February 21, 2019 |title=YouTube terminates more than 400 channels following child exploitation controversy |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/21/18234494/youtube-child-exploitation-channel-termination-comments-philip-defranco-creators |access-date=February 21, 2019 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=February 21, 2019 |title=YouTube loses advertisers over 'wormhole into pedophilia ring' |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/02/youtube-loses-advertisers-over-wormhole-into-pedophilia-ring/ |access-date=February 22, 2019 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> Despite these measures, [[AT&T]], [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], [[Dr. Oetker]], [[Epic Games]], and [[Nestlé]] all pulled their advertising from YouTube.<ref name="bloomberg mwatson" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Haselton |first1=Todd |last2=Salinas |first2=Sara |date=February 21, 2019 |title=As fallout over pedophilia content on YouTube continues, AT&T pulls all advertisements |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/21/att-pulls-all-ads-from-youtube-pedophilia-controversy.html |access-date=February 21, 2019 |publisher=[[CNBC]]}}</ref>

Subsequently, YouTube began to demonetize and block advertising on the types of videos that have drawn these predatory comments. The service explained that this was a temporary measure while they explore other methods to eliminate the problem.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ingraham |first=Nathan |date=February 22, 2019 |title=YouTube is proactively blocking ads on videos prone to predatory comments |url=https://www.engadget.com/2019/02/22/youtube-blocking-ads-on-videos-predatory-comments/ |access-date=February 22, 2019 |work=[[Engadget]]}}</ref> YouTube also began to flag channels that predominantly feature children, and preemptively disable their comments sections. "Trusted partners" can request that comments be re-enabled, but the channel will then become responsible for moderating comments. These actions mainly target videos of toddlers, but videos of older children and teenagers may be protected as well if they contain actions that can be interpreted as sexual, such as gymnastics. YouTube stated it was also working on a better system to remove comments on other channels that matched the style of child predators.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fox |first=Chris |date=February 28, 2019 |title=YouTube bans comments on all videos of kids |language=en-GB |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47408969 |access-date=March 2, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=February 28, 2019 |title=YouTube is disabling comments on almost all videos featuring children |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/28/18244954/youtube-comments-minor-children-exploitation-monetization-creators |access-date=February 28, 2019 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref>

A related attempt to algorithmically flag videos containing references to the string "CP" (an abbreviation of [[child pornography]]) resulted in some prominent false positives involving unrelated topics using the same abbreviation, including videos related to the mobile video game ''[[Pokémon Go]]'' (which uses "CP" as an abbreviation of the statistic "Combat Power"), and ''[[Club Penguin]]''. YouTube apologized for the errors and reinstated the affected videos.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gerken |first=Tom |date=February 19, 2019 |title=YouTube backtracks after Pokemon 'child abuse' ban |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47278362 |access-date=February 20, 2019 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Separately, online trolls have attempted to have videos flagged for takedown or removal by commenting with statements similar to what the child predators had said; this activity became an issue during the [[PewDiePie vs T-Series]] rivalry in early 2019. YouTube stated they do not take action on any video with these comments but those that they have flagged that are likely to draw child predator activity.<ref>{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=February 28, 2019 |title=Trolls are lying about child porn to try to get YouTube channels taken down |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/28/18241925/youtube-creator-comments-weaponized-trolling-child-exploitation-lies-controversy-lies |access-date=February 28, 2019 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref>

In June 2019, ''The New York Times'' cited researchers who found that users who watched erotic videos could be recommended seemingly innocuous videos of children.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fisher |first1=Max |last2=Taub |first2=Amanda |date=June 3, 2019 |title=On YouTube's Digital Playground, an Open Gate for Pedophiles |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/03/world/americas/youtube-pedophiles.html |access-date=June 6, 2019 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> As a result, Senator [[Josh Hawley]] stated plans to introduce federal legislation that would ban YouTube and other video sharing sites from including videos that predominantly feature minors as "recommended" videos, excluding those that were "professionally produced", such as videos of televised talent shows.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ingraham |first=Nathan |date=June 6, 2019 |title=A Senator wants to stop YouTube from recommending videos featuring minors |url=https://www.engadget.com/2019/06/06/senator-youtube-bill-stop-featuring-minors-in-recommendations/ |access-date=June 6, 2019 |work=[[Engadget]]}}</ref> YouTube has suggested potential plans to remove all videos featuring children from the main YouTube site and transferring them to the [[YouTube Kids]] site where they would have stronger controls over the recommendation system, as well as other major changes on the main YouTube site to the recommended feature and auto-play system.<ref>{{cite web |last=Copeland |first=Rob |date=June 19, 2019 |title=YouTube, Under Fire, Considers Major Changes to Kids' Content |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/youtube-under-fire-considers-major-changes-to-kids-content-11560953721 |access-date=June 19, 2019 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]}}</ref>

==== Misogyny ====
An August 2022 report by the [[Center for Countering Digital Hate]], a British think tank, found that harassment against women was flourishing on YouTube. It noted that channels espousing a similar ideology to that of [[Men's rights movement|men's rights influencer]] [[Andrew Tate]] were using YouTube to grow their audience, despite Tate being banned from the platform.<ref name="misogyny">{{cite news |last=Lorenz |first=Taylor |author-link=Taylor Lorenz |date=September 18, 2022 |title=YouTube remains rife with misogyny and harassment, creators say |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/09/18/you-tube-mysogyny-women-hate/ |access-date=December 26, 2022 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> In his 2022 book ''Like, Comment, Subscribe: Inside YouTube's Chaotic Rise to World Domination'', [[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]] reporter Mark Bergen said that many female content creators were dealing with harassment, bullying, and stalking.<ref name="misogyny" />