YouTube to take down content that links Covid-19 to 5G technology, says it’s capable of misleading viewers in “harmful ways”

Conspiracy theories linking the Covid-19 pandemic to the testing of 5G technology has led to arson on mobile phone towers and threats against engineers in many parts of the world. Video platforms have been awash with misinformation, causing YouTube to crack down on baseless propaganda on the future of 5G technology.

The Google-owned video streaming platform said that videos attempting to make unsupported connections between the two will be classified as promoting “medically unsubstantiated methods” of preventing coronavirus infection, and will thus be blocked. However, not all videos espousing conspiracy theories will be removed.

YouTube said it would take down “borderline content” capable of mislead viewers in “harmful ways”. This will lead to fewer video recommendations for videos, removing them from search results, and starving the creators of such content of advertising revenues.