Meta, YouTube to Expand Research and Policies to Tackle Online Extremism

TECHNOLOGY

Several major companies committed to taking fresh steps to combat online extremism by removing more violent content, and promoting media literacy with young users, as part of a government summit on tackling hate-fueled violence.

Companies such as YouTube, Facebook have come under fire for many years from critics who say the companies have allowed lies, hate speech, and violent rhetoric to flourish on their services.

According to YouTube, it will expand its policies on violent extremism to remove content that highlights violent acts, even if the content creators of the videos are not related to a terrorist organization. YouTube already prohibits violent incitement but in some cases, has not applied existing policies to videos that promote militia groups involved in storming US capitals.

YouTube spokesman, Jack Malon, said that whether the service will change its approach to the content under the new policy, and the update enables it further to go with enforcement that YouTube had previously.

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YouTube will also launch a media literacy campaign to teach young users how to spot the manipulation tactics that are used to spread misinformation. Meta announced it will partner with researchers from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies to tackle extremism and terrorism.