YouTube will invest $25 million in funding “quality journalism” on its platform. The initiative will aim to provide context and to promote ‘reputable’ sources; but there are doubts as to what, exactly, that might mean.
YouTube announced the initiative on Monday, and says it aims to make “it easier to find quality news” and improve “the news experience on YouTube.” The initiative forms part of a wider, $300 million Google program aimed at “helping journalism thrive in the digital age.”
In the coming weeks, videos posted about breaking news events will be accompanied with a link to carefully vetted news article about the events, as well as a reminder that breaking news can rapidly change. YouTube will also highlight breaking news videos from reputable news organizations on its homepage, and recommend that viewers watch similar videos following the ones they were watching.
With the left-right divide in America widening, the challenge for YouTube is deciding what sources count as reputable. Among those vetted by YouTube are CNN and Fox News. CNN has been slated and derided as ‘fake news’ by President Trump and others on the right, while CNN President Jeff Zucker called Fox a “propaganda machine” earlier this year.
When Facebook announced plans to rank news sources by “trustworthiness” and “dial up the intensity” of news suppression this May, it enlisted the help of a host of news organizations to define what “trustworthy” means. However, all but two of the over 20 organizations enlisted leaned to the political left.
The only US outlet mentioned in YouTube’s announcement is Vox Media, a left-wing “explainer” website. YouTube has also revealed that one of its “trusted flaggers” of objectionable content is the Southern Poverty Law Center, a group that focuses solely on “right-wing extremism.” The SPLC has been forced to retract several articles over the past few months, and pay a $3.75 million compensation to a think-tank it mischaracterized as anti-Muslim.
Because defunding and throttling news videos wasn't enough.
Colton Peterson
heres an idea: be shown the same topic skewed left, right, and centrist. As you click on news sources tne machine learns more about your preferences.
More clicks = more revenue, but its your fault for them serving up sensationalist content that drives traffic.
Jacob Reed
here's an idea: Decide What Reputable News Are
Jayden Adams
Because defunding and throttling news videos wasn't Decide What Reputable News Are
Tyler Evans
Poor Johnny Neptune has no life. Doesn't like labels, but is literally an unapologetic grammar nazi.
Aiden Young
right thats what I was getting at then I realized its basically (their) fault for paying shit news sites that just generate clickbait and cat pictures.
Brandon Watson
How is Google being communist exactly? By catering to its advertisers who make them money?
Charles Bailey
You autist, it's not literal.
Leo Jones
Johnny Neptune be like, "oh lordy (oy gevalt) protect the jews! I will make a mural to the 6 gorillion!"
At this point if people still fall for obvious propaganda, despite being shown time after time that pretty much every news outlet lies to their faces, then I just can't help but hope shit gets even worse just to watch everyone suffer.
Jose Lopez
Shalom, I'm Aisha. Thanks for subbing. Today I'm here to tell you about free bleeding into a burka.
