YouTube scraps 2020 U.S. election misinformation policy

YouTube will stop removing content that falsely claims the 2020 U.S. presidential election was plagued by “fraud, errors or glitches,” the platform said.

YouTube will stop removing content that falsely claims the 2020 U.S. presidential election was plagued by "fraud, errors or glitches," the platform said Friday, a decision quickly criticised by anti-misinformation advocates.

The announcement by the Google-owned video website is a marked departure from its policy initiated in December 2020, which attempted to curb false claims -- most importantly pushed by then-president Donald Trump -- that his re-election loss to Joe Biden was due to the vote being "stolen."

"The ability to openly debate political ideas, even those that are controversial or based on disproven assumptions, is core to a functioning democratic society -- especially in the midst of election season," YouTube said in a blog post.

"We will stop removing content that advances false claims that widespread fraud, errors, or glitches occurred in the 2020 and other past U.S. presidential elections."

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YouTube's updated policy, which goes into effect immediately, comes as tech platforms grapple with a key issue in America's hyperpolarised political environment: How to combat misinformation without curtailing free speech?

YouTube appeared to acknowledge that policing misinformation comes with downsides.