YouTube cracks down on anti-vax misinformation

YouTube is beefing up its misinformation policies to crack down on anti-vaccine misinformation beyond COVID-19 vaccinations, executives told Axios.

Why it matters: Under the new policy, YouTube will terminate the channels of what it calls prominent vaccine misinformation spreaders, including the channel of the Robert F Kennedy Jr.-affiliated Children's Health Defense Fund.

YouTube will also terminate the channels belonging to Joseph Mercola, Erin Elizabeth and Sherri Tenpenny — all identified by the Center for Countering Digital Hate as among a dozen playing leading roles in spreading online misinformation about COVID vaccines.

Driving the news: YouTube will remove misinformation about currently administered vaccines that are approved and confirmed to be both safe and effective by local health authorities and the World Health Organization, YouTube vice president of global trust & safety Matt Halprin told Axios.