YouTube will ban videos disputing the 2020 U.S. presidential election

[David Matthews]

Why it matters: President Trump has been relentless in his claims that democrats stole the 2020 election. Now that enough states have certified their results in favor of Joe Biden, YouTube will begin removing videos alleging election fraud. YouTube's reasoning lies with the Trump campaign's numerous court losses combined with the state certification of votes.

YouTube announced today that it would start removing videos that falsely claim widespread election fraud that led to Joe Biden's win over President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

Since the election, President Trump and his allies have sought to overturn Biden's victory citing massive fraud. However, his campaign and legal team have failed to produce sufficient evidence in numerous court cases. YouTube's based its decision to ban videos alleging election fraud on the fact that enough states have officially certified their election results to determine the winner. The Electoral College is scheduled to meet on Monday, and the "safe harbor" deadline has passed.

Unlike Facebook and Twitter, which have outright labeled content as misleading, YouTube originally just marked content as election-related. It took a more hands-off approach, while the votes were still being tallied and certified. YouTube admitted that in some cases, that approach meant "allowing controversial views on the outcome or process of counting votes of a current election."

YouTube is attempting to bolster its integrity by pointing viewers to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's "Rumor Control" page and the Office of the Federal Register that confirms that Joe Biden is President-Elect per the state certification of votes.

YouTube has also released some stats concerning its attempts at curtailing misleading videos. It has terminated over 8,000 channels and "thousands" of videos, with 77% of those videos not reaching 100 views. About 88% of the videos in the top ten search results for elections were from "authoritative news sources." The most viewed election-related videos and channels were from news sources like NBC and CBS.

"We understand the need for intense scrutiny on our elections-related work. Our teams work hard to ensure we are striking a balance between allowing for a broad range of political speech and making sure our platform isn't abused to incite real-world harm or broadly spread harmful misinformation. We welcome ongoing debate and discussion and will keep engaging with experts, researchers and organizations to ensure that our policies and products are meeting that goal. And as always, we'll apply learnings from this election to our ongoing efforts to protect the integrity of elections around the world."

Social media companies have been in the spotlight in managing misinformation on their respective platforms. Social media's growing influence has forced them to aggressively monitor for false and misleading information while trying to strike a balance with legitimate debate.

While this news will probably bolster claims from some groups of "liberal bias," YouTube probably thinks it has enough room to stand considering the state certification of votes and Trump campaign's litany of court losses.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/87914-youtube-ban-videos-disputing-2020-us-presidential-election.html

 

[ColdSoup]

More Congressional hearings incoming in 3... 2...

 

[Theinsanegamer]

"We have decided you dont need to hear anything questioning our decision"

"When you tear out a man's tongue, you are not proving him a liar; you're only telling the world that you fear what he might say."

Even if the media is correct, these propagandizing actions should be punished. Let wrong people screech about how wrong they are. Why do you think neo nazis lost all their power in the 60s and 70s? Hint: it wasnt because they were censored, it was because they were allowed to speak their mind, and people tore their ideas apart. Of course, these corporations only care about control and making money, in that order. If they can control what politics you are allowed to see they are peachy keen.

 

[yRaz]

While I do believe there was no election fraud and that Biden won I also don't think it's right for YouTube to censor people. Yeah, I think videos disputing the election results are BS but if people want to watch BS in their free time that's their choice. They don't censor ancient aliens or other things that are obviously false, how are these videos any different?

Either censor everything or nothing, it's when people start Cherry picking what they want people to hear that the problem starts.

 

[Endymio]

This article -- and the underlying NYT article -- is considerably misleading about the impact of the so-called "Safe Harbor" deadline. Only five states formally recognize this deadline; there other other provisions in federal law (Sec. 2 Title 3, for instance) that can nullify it; and even that bastion of liberal legal theory herself -- Ruth Bader Ginsberg - published her Supreme Court opinion that the deadline was essentially meaningless when it came to legal challenges to an election.

 

[brucek]

Tricky path to navigate. In general censorship worries me even when, as here, I agree the info being censored is likely bogus.

Imagine if this approach were tried with videos having anything to do with religion for example, especially in countries where there is an official religion backed/required by that country.

I prefer trying to drown out bad information with better information, although I recognize that is not always effective.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

While I do believe there was no election fraud and that Biden won I also don't think it's right for YouTube to censor people. Yeah, I think videos disputing the election results are BS but if people want to watch BS in their free time that's their choice. They don't censor ancient aliens or other things that are obviously false, how are these videos any different?

Either censor everything or nothing, it's when people start Cherry picking what they want people to hear that the problem starts.

These videos are Doubleplus ungood, and spread Wrongthink. The Party speaks the Truth, and all who speak otherwise must be silenced.

Notice how videos contesting 2016 in favor of Clinton are not being deleted, or videos spreading disinformation about trump's actions or the actions of his cabinet are not being delisted or deleted. Anyone claiming the tech giants dont have a political bias, and are not using their platforms to promote that bias, are disingenuous at best or actively malicious at worse. Given how the internet is becoming more important every year, regulation is desperately needed. One of the biggest faults of the trump administration was their utter failure to promote and pass such regulation while they had a federal supermajority. Actually, they dont need new regulation. They already have it with section 230a, which trump has been too busy screeching autisticly about to actually enforce on the likes of google, facebook, et. al.

 

[Endymio]

One of the biggest faults of the trump administration was their utter failure to promote and pass such regulation while they had a federal supermajority.

A very apt 1984 reference, but the GOP never had a supermajority-- the last one was during Obama's tenure: 2008-2010.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Excellent Work Youtube.

 

[OortCloud]

There's one thing the moronosphere love even more than a Narcissistic Orange Game Show Host...that's a good conspiracy theory....

 

[Theinsanegamer]

A very apt 1984 reference, but the GOP never had a supermajority-- the last one was during Obama's tenure: 2008-2010.

I meant majority. Also Obama's tenure was the last time democrats had both houses, the 111th congress has two Democrat majorities, which is what cast major doubt on any promise Biden makes about healthcare, they had the whole federal government at their disposal during his first 2 years yet couldnt manage to make obamacare useful, their lines of " trying to reach across the aisle" are BS, the moment they saaw resistance they could have simply gone back to the better version of the bill, it just so happens pharmaceutical lobbyists HATED that bill for its open Medicare enrollment provision and giving the government the ability to negotiate drug prices, two actions that would have demonstrably lowered healthcare access. Both were removed for "reaching across the aisle" then subsequently blamed on the GOP for not cooperating, when the democrats were the ones who stripped it out and refused to re add it into the bill before voting on it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/111th_United_States_Congress

Trump didnt do this either in his first two years either, he was too focused on trying to remove obamacare because "obama" instead of fixing the bill by changing it to benefit all americans instead of just the rich insurance owners.

In case anyone wonders: no, politicians do not care about you and will never try to help you. Doesnt matter what letter is beside their name.

 

[EClyde]

The Dems did cheat like they always do

 

[Arbie]

Maybe we should stick to CPUs and graphics cards, where we disagree a little less violently.

Unless you knock AMD - just sayin'...

 

[Mr Majestyk]

"We have decided you dont need to hear anything questioning our decision"

"When you tear out a man's tongue, you are not proving him a liar; you're only telling the world that you fear what he might say."

Even if the media is correct, these propagandizing actions should be punished. Let wrong people screech about how wrong they are. Why do you think neo nazis lost all their power in the 60s and 70s? Hint: it wasnt because they were censored, it was because they were allowed to speak their mind, and people tore their ideas apart. Of course, these corporations only care about control and making money, in that order. If they can control what politics you are allowed to see they are peachy keen.

The outcome of the election isn't and idea or philosophy, it's a black and white result, there is no discussion to be had. We don't need to hear right wing scum bags whining about fraud, when they are the only ones likely to have committed it anyway. Trump knew he was going to lose months before the election and laid the ground work to taint the outcome based on insane ideas about democrats associated with Chavez who has been dead 7 years BTW rigging Dominican voting machines. Even the losers Chump appointed in the Supreme court know his claims are insane and won't have a bar of it.

 

[Endymio]

Right wing scum bags are the only ones likely to have committed [fraud] anyway.

The two below were Democrats. Of course, with no policies or procedures in place to detect ballot fraud, you have to be as dumb as these two to actually get caught. (hint: if you want to send in fraudulent ballots, don't drop off entire boxes of them in broad daylight).

"Nov 17 2020: (AP) Two California men have been charged in a case involving the submission of more than 8,000 fraudulent voter applications for the 2020 election cycle, the District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday..."

 

[p51d007]

Nothing to see here, move along...OR ELSE!

Wonder if they will also ban some of these?

disputes of the 2016 election

 

[psycros]

And now we have the definitive, inarguable proof that Big Tech is nothing but a propaganda machine just like the Democrat-owned old media. Five people are already going to prison for destroying ballots, lying to election officials and lying to voters, but sure, keep living in your Marxist utopian echo chamber where there's no voter fraud. Hundreds of sworn affidavits, hours of video footage, whistleblowers galore..none of that phases the die-hard libtard. Well, that's fine. I'd just as soon settle it once and for all with a nice, all-American civil war. Most of the retired and active military as well has over half the police are on the side of sanity and the law so it shouldn't take long. Time for a proper purge. Its becoming very clear that this is the only way we save the country.

 

[Lew Zealand]

And now we have the definitive, inarguable proof that Big Tech is nothing but a propaganda machine just like the Democrat-owned old media. Five people are already going to prison for destroying ballots, lying to election officials and lying to voters, but sure, keep living in your Marxist utopian echo chamber where there's no voter fraud. Hundreds of sworn affidavits, hours of video footage, whistleblowers galore..none of that phases the die-hard libtard. Well, that's fine. I'd just as soon settle it once and for all with a nice, all-American civil war. Most of the retired and active military as well has over half the police are on the side of sanity and the law so it shouldn't take long. Time for a proper purge. Its becoming very clear that this is the only way we save the country.

Lol, please explain all the ridiculous, frivolous court cases about this election brought by conservatives which have been thrown out by the various courts for utter lack of evidence, including by the SCOTUS. I believe they are 1-47 by now. It seems that justice disagrees with your opinion.

 

[m4a4]

Excellent Work Youtube.

Why am I not surprised you're 100% fine with censorship.

That said, why is Youtube drawing the line now? Why such boldness?

 

[bandit8623]

Excellent Work Youtube.

Can't wait for a platform you like disagrees with you and you are crying.

 

[PEnnn]

LOL, let the whining begin!!

Hey, those new septic tanks NewsMax and the other Q outlet are full of stories how the Supreme Leader Chump won bigly!!

You don't like YouTube's policy?? Go there and enjoy the "alternate facts"!

Youtube (or any other private company) is under no obligation to post lies to massage your Trumpist egos or give you a cookie.

 

[Gixser]

(hint: if you want to send in fraudulent ballots...)

This doesn't look to be about *fraudulent ballots* being submitted. This is about *fraudulent ballot applications*. I think thats an important distinction. It certainly may have lead to fraudulent ballots being submitted but this isn't evidence of actual votes being cast fraudulently that affected the outcome of an election.

Also, this looks to be part of a plan by the alledged perpertrator to get himself elected Mayor of Hawthorne...not the outcome of a Presidential election.

Criminal complaint here: https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14984641/2020/11/BA491333.pdf

Also, how do you know the two people charged here are Democrats? I couldn't find any reference to their political affiliation.

 

[bandit8623]

LOL, let the whining begin!!

Hey, those new septic tanks NewsMax and the other Q outlet are full of stories how the Supreme Leader Chump won bigly!!

You don't like YouTube's policy?? Go there and enjoy the "alternate facts"!

Youtube (or any other private company) is under no obligation to post lies to massage your Trumpist egos or give you a cookie.

If someone wants to watch something why are you against their freedom? You don't have to watch it. I totally understand they can do what they want. But I'm just pointing out its not good. When you have a platform they have rules but the fact police are wrong 50%of the Time. The who changed their stance 14.times. And Facebook uses them for fact checking.

 

[Endymio]

Youtube (or any other private company) is under no obligation to post lies

Unsurprisingly, you miss the point. Youtube -- along with Facebook, Twitter, and other social-media platforms -- were given blanket immunity from libel prosecution under Sec. 230 of the CDA. This was done under the assumption that these platforms exerted no control over the content appearing on their site.

That assumption is no longer true. While Youtube and its ilk have the legal right to edit and censor as they wish, by doing so they become no different than any other publisher. They should therefore lose their Sec 230 immunity, and be liable for the content they publish.

 

[oceantiger65]

Ok people, this is how the democratic/socialism starts. They start banning and censoring public opinion on social media services. Then the middle-class citizen starts paying dearly for those, in the 1% and the people that don't want to work. Then they control what you buy and who you buy it from. Good luck with that. China said many times, they would cripple the USA without firing a single missile. Think about it! Many countries are changing to socialism without considering the consequences of a nation that failed from the adaptation of socialism. examples: China, Russia, India, Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba. Many prayers that the US has not been lost forever. Not until another Trump or Trump himself, returns in two years. If it lasts that long.