YouTube is trying to combat scientific misinformation on its platform

As part of an effort to “combat the rampant misinformation and conspiratorial fodder on its platform”, YouTube has begun fact-checking videos that question climate change science, Buzzfeed News reports.

Since July 9 the video sharing platform has added a section of text underneath some climate change videos, stating that “multiple lines of scientific evidence show that the climate system is warming” – a quote drawn from the Wikipedia entry for ‘global warming’.

The affected videos include both those questioning the science and scientifically accurate explainers, and their owners were not notified of the changes by YouTube.

The changes follow the company’s announcement in March that it would “place descriptions from Wikipedia and Encyclopædia Britannica next to videos on topics that spur conspiracy theories”, BuzzFeed News explains.

Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist at Texas Tech University, commented: “I welcome this change…I appreciate that YouTube is taking their responsibility seriously to help people understand the difference.”