Over the last few months, YouTube has quietly removed or changed many of its COVID censorship rules which resulted in numerous videos and creators being censored throughout 2020 and 2021.
Collectively, these changes to YouTube’s “COVID-19 medical misinformation” mean that users are now allowed to question or dispute whether the vaccines reduce the risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19, question or dispute the effectiveness of masks and social distancing, say that the symptoms and contagiousness of COVID-19 are equal to or less severe than the common cold or seasonal flu, and declare that the pandemic is over.
All prohibitions on statements about masks, social distancing, and self-isolation have been removed from YouTube’s “COVID-19 medical misinformation” policy. Additionally, one ban on statements about vaccines has been removed from the policy and several of the rules related to vaccines have been changed.
Previously, YouTube banned claims that:
- “The virus no longer exists or that the pandemic is over”
- “COVID-19 vaccines are not effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19”
- “Wearing a mask is dangerous or causes negative physical health effects”
- “Masks do not play a role in preventing the contraction or transmission”
- “Wear...
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