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After recent events, related to some conspiracy theories linking the ongoing coronavirus pandemic with the development and launch of 5G networks around the world, social media giants were urged to better moderate misinformation and harmful theories on their platforms. BBC now reports that YouTube has decided to impose a more strict policy in regards to related to the topic video content.
Recently, 5G conspiracy theories have gained popularity and are now causing people to even vandalize cell towers. Groups, inciting violence, have been emerging on Facebook and the company has already removed several of them.
YouTube, however, classified such theories as “borderline content” and its algorithm was only restricting their popularity on the platform. However, this seems to be changing now, as YouTube removed a video with an interview with the conspiracy theorist David Icke, who linked the virus outbreak to the existence of 5G networks.
The theory has been denounced by scientists that indicated that 5G radio frequency is not strong enough to damage living cells and is even weaker than the electromagnetic frequency radiation of sunlight.
In consequence of David Icke’s already removed YouTube interview, more people were calling for attacks on 5G towers.
A YouTube spokesperson stated that videos that promote medically unsubstantiated methods to prevent the coronavirus are against YouTube’s policy and will be removed. Additionally, every content that disputes the existence or transmission of the virus, as described by the World Health Organization or local health authorities, will be considered against the policy and therefore, will also be deleted.
