YouTube has announced that it will be taking a more proactive approach in removing content that promotes cancer treatments proven to be harmful or ineffective, as well as videos that discourage viewers from seeking professional medical treatment.

The move is part of YouTube’s efforts to address medical misinformation and ensure that its platform provides accurate and reliable health information to its users.

The platform’s decision to remove content promoting harmful or ineffective cancer treatments aligns with its broader efforts to combat misinformation across various medical topics, including COVID-19, vaccines, and reproductive health. YouTube aims to apply its medical misinformation policies to topics with a high public health risk and where authoritative guidance from health authorities is available.

The updated policies also extend to videos that suggest unproven treatments as alternatives to established medical practices. For instance, videos that encourage viewers to rely on vitamin supplements instead of medically proven treatments will be taken down.YouTube’s commitment to removing harmful content is not new.

The platform has previously taken actions against vaccine misinformation and other health-related misinformation, including false claims about abortion safety and unsafe abortion methods.

The move highlights YouTube’s continued efforts to create a safer environment for its users by ensuring that they have access to accurate and reliable health information. As misinformation continues to be a concern on various online platforms, YouTube’s proactive stance on removing harmful content contributes to the fight against the spread of false information.

It’s worth noting that while major tech platforms initially united against COVID-19 misinformation, their approaches have varied over time.

Twitter and Meta (formerly Facebook) have made adjustments to their moderation policies based on changing circumstances and priorities. Despite these differences, the broader goal remains the same: to promote accurate and trustworthy information while reducing the impact of harmful misinformation.