YouTube suspends 14 Brazilian creators’ salaries over misinformation claims

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Fourteen content creators have had their payments suspended by YouTube over allegations the channels broadcast misinformation about the 2022 national election, Reuters reported.

“We are strengthening our commitment to collaborate with the work of the Brazilian authorities and to continue to invest in policies, resources and products to protect the YouTube community from harmful content,” YouTube said in a statement Thursday, according to the service. hurry.

The news comes after several social and multimedia platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, were ordered last week by Brazil’s Inspector General of Electoral Justice Luis Felipe Salomo to temporarily halt payments to creators and other entities who would have been mired in electoral disinformation.

The press service reported that many of the YouTube channels targeted were supporters of controversial Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro may soon be the subject of an investigation into unsubstantiated allegations that fraud exists in Brazil’s voting system, according to CNN.

The far-right president has also been criticized for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including overpricing and corruption charges involving a deal to secure vaccines reached by Bharat Biotech, Reuters reported.

Like the creators of YouTube, Bolsonaro has also been targeted by the video platform for allegedly spreading misinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

YouTube confirmed in July that it had removed videos from the Presidents’ Channel after careful consideration, citing its policy on disinformation about coronaviruses.

Our policies do not allow content that claims hydroxychloroquine and / or ivermectin is effective in treating or preventing COVID-19, claims there is a guaranteed cure for COVID-19, and claims masks are not not work to prevent the spread of the virus, ”a YouTube spokesperson told The Hill in a statement in July.

“This is in line with the guidelines of local and global health authorities, and we update our policies as the guidelines change. We apply our policies consistently across the platform, regardless of the speaker. or political opinion, ”added the spokesperson.

The Hill reached out to YouTube for comment.

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