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YouTube announces abortion censorship — Analysis

Abortion has been added to topics YouTube will police under its “misinformation” banner

YouTube, a Google-owned video site, announced Thursday that it added abortion to its list of medical and health topics. “misinformation”Policy, after baby formula and vaccines. False information regarding abortion methods that have been declared safe by authorities as well as videos promoting them. “alternative”The policy changes will also affect methods.

“Starting today and ramping up over the next few weeks, we will remove content that provides instructions for unsafe abortion methods or promotes false claims about abortion safety under our medical misinformation policies,”The company made the announcement via Twitter.

YouTube’s policies on health and medical matters “rely on published guidance from health authorities”Prioritize “connecting people to content from authoritative sources on health topics,”The company stated.

Future videos and search results that deal with the subject of abortion will include tags “an information panel that provides viewers with context and information from local and global health authorities.” 

“An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy,”YouTube shared the screen shot with the caption “Text on panel” using an example from National Library of Medicine. “It uses medicine or surgery to remove the embryo or fetus and placenta from the uterus. The procedure is done by a licensed healthcare professional.”

You can also find a link to the panel for those who wish to. “learn more”Instructions “consult your local medical authority for advice.”

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YouTube previously banned misinformation by using its misinformation policy “content that contradicts local health authorities’ or WHO guidance” on the safety of vaccines – mainly in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, earlier in the year they promoted “alternative formulas for infants in place of breast milk or commercial formula”The list is a result of widespread US shortages. 

Effective Thursday, the policy will now include “promotion of alternative abortion methods”Instead of “chemical and surgical abortion methods deemed safe by health authorities.”

YouTube’s announcement comes almost a month after the US Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which had defined abortion as part of the constitutionally protected right to privacy. Each state will decide whether the procedure can be legalized. While many Republican-majority States have previously banned the procedure from their territory, Democrats are proposing to create a federal law which would allow it to be legalized in every state.

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