YouTube is making money from climate misinformation.

Content creators are employing new tactics to circumvent YouTube's anti-misinformation policies.

Photo: Reuters

The Center for Combating Digital Hate (CCDH) used artificial intelligence to review information from 12,058 videos over the past six years across 96 YouTube channels. These channels allegedly promoted content that undermined the scientific consensus on climate change that human behavior is contributing to long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns.

The report shows that last year 70% of content on these channels focused on arguing that climate solutions are not feasible, portraying global warming as harmless or beneficial, or deeming climate science and the environmental movement unreliable. This percentage has increased from 35% five years prior.

Imran Ahmed, CEO of CCDH, said: “A new front has opened in this battle. The channels we were looking at initially said that climate change wasn’t happening, and now they’re saying, ‘Hey, climate change is happening, but there’s no hope. There’s no solution.’”

CCDH stated that YouTube is earning up to $13.4 million annually from advertising on the channels analyzed in the report. In a statement, YouTube did not comment directly on the report but defended its policies.

A YouTube spokesperson said: “It’s permissible to debate or discuss climate change topics, including public policy or research. However, when content crosses the line of denying climate change, we will stop showing ads on those videos .”

CCDH is calling on YouTube to update its policy on climate change denial content, and says its new report could support the environmental movement against false claims about global warming more broadly.

Mai Anh (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/youtube-kiem-bon-tien-tu-thong-tin-sai-lech-khi-hau-post281255.html