YouTube will begin displaying texts from Wikipedia and other websites alongside videos in a few weeks, attempting to combat fake news and conspiracy theories, announced the platform’s CEO Susan Wojcicki on Tuesday.
Wojcicki presented a model with “information cues” at a conference in Austin, Texas, which will showcase alternative viewpoints alongside videos that question science or present conspiracy theories about events such as the moon landing.
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Such information will first appear on topics that have a significant number of videos.
– People will still be able to watch videos, but they will also have access to additional information, they will be able to click and see it, Wojcicki said.
Following calls from various political representatives and media advocacy groups for YouTube to help stop the spread of fraud and fake news, the company adjusted its algorithms last year to promote what it calls “authoritative sources.”
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Although music and video games are much more popular on YouTube, the company has prioritized finding a solution this year to criticisms regarding the publication of fake news and pseudoscientific content.
