YouTube Altering Recommendations to Show Less Flat Earth Conspiracies

[Megalith]

YouTube is ramping up its janitorial duties again: this time, the video giant seeks to stop the spread of conspiracy videos by preventing them from showing up as recommendations. According to the company, these would include videos promoting the idea that Earth is flat, miracle cures, and so forth. “Google will begin to filter out recommendations in the United States with the help of machine learning and real people using set guidelines to judge the quality of a video.”

We’ll continue that work this year, including taking a closer look at how we can reduce the spread of content that comes close to—but doesn’t quite cross the line of—violating our Community Guidelines. To that end, we’ll begin reducing recommendations of borderline content and content that could misinform users in harmful ways—such as videos promoting a phony miracle cure for a serious illness, claiming the earth is flat, or making blatantly false claims about historic events like 9/11.

 

[Master_shake_]

i thought google hated censorship?

unless they are doing it that is.

Google: "we'll do the thinking for you."

 

[Boscoh]

Don't worry guys, there is absolutely no chance of abuse for political gain.

 

[Abhaxus]

Is this really censorship though? They aren't removing the videos entirely, they are just not assisting with the spread of crackpot theories.

 

[wyqtor]

Well, I guess if there was any YT back in the day, they would have blocked Alfred Wegener and his silly conspiracy about continents moving, which he used to explain why Africa and South America look like two puzzle pieces.

 

[haste.]

^^^ And here we go with the [H]ardcore conspiracy theory buffs/group making a reason for this filtering other than the are spreading STUPID f'ing wrong information.

 

[opfreak]

Is this really censorship though? They aren't removing the videos entirely, they are just not assisting with the spread of crackpot theories.

They will only promote crackpot (liberal) theories they agree with. You are leaving it to google to determine what is crackpot.

 

[Master_shake_]

Is this really censorship though? They aren't removing the videos entirely, they are just not assisting with the spread of crackpot theories.

Are there still videos on communism?

 

[Zepher]

I wonder if there is a way to make money from the flat earthers?
I am pretty sure the top people of the flat earthers know it's round and just use the flat earth theory to make money.

 

[BinarySynapse]

So Google's idea to try and stop the spread of cover-up conspiracy theories is covering them up? Way to fan the flames of stupidity there guys.

 

[GSDragoon]

Well, I guess if there was any YT back in the day, they would have blocked Alfred Wegener and his silly conspiracy about continents moving, which he used to explain why Africa and South America look like two puzzle pieces.

Pretty sure I was taught this in school growing up.

 

[Cipix]

I've seen these stupid conspiracy theories show up in my recommended way too often, seemingly for no reason. Glad they're tweaking this shit. Make it available via search, but I don't want this dumbfuck information presented to me.

 

[ShadowXT]

I've seen these stupid conspiracy theories show up in my recommended way too often, seemingly for no reason. Glad they're tweaking this shit. Make it available via search, but I don't want this dumbfuck information presented to me.

I don't know what the hell you have been watching. I have NEVER seen any flat earth conspiracy video show up on my suggestions. I get nothing but videos on girls on Pattaya Beach and I click on every one of them to make sure its not some wild conspiracy theory. The only real conspiracy is that I end up spending 20 to 30 mins on each video and it makes the day go by faster. It's a great training tool. Now I can spot real from a ladyboy from a mile away. Thank you Youtube!

 

[N4CR]

Lol so the CIA owned front company is toning down their CIA conspiracy muddying waters campaign spamming. Quite hilarious if you think about it.

 

[Cipix]

I don't know what the hell you have been watching. I have NEVER seen any flat earth conspiracy video show up on my suggestions. I get nothing but videos on girls on Pattaya Beach and I click on every one of them to make sure its not some wild conspiracy theory. The only real conspiracy is that I end up spending 20 to 30 mins on each video and it makes the day go by faster.

Who knows. Probably the reason why they're flat out blocking them in the first place.

 

[timberwolf]

Flat Earthers are WAY far down the list of things people need to be protected from...

 

[mlcarson]

Google and Facebook should lose their safe harbor protection for content posted if they are going to control that content. They should also be held to the same standard when it comes to in-kind contributions to political parties/candidates. Google can't be using it's platform to influence the election results of one candidate over another by tweaking their algorithms, refusing to run ads, or launching get out to vote efforts in swing districts like they did in 2016. The Russian collusion conspiracy is fine but something from Alex Jones needs to be suppressed; Google should not be the arbiter of truth. I think the flat earth people are nuts but there's no reason to suppress their viewpoints. Since google is deciding what content is good and bad for you then they need to be responsible for all content on their platform and suffer the legal consequences -- they can't continue to have it both ways.

 

[Jagger100]

Flat Earthers are WAY far down the list of things people need to be protected from...

This type of thinking is at the top.

 

[Nolan7689]

They must be afraid that too many people are learning the flat truth!

I joke, but honestly I’ve never seen a recommendation for one of these videos, so seems like this only really applies to the type of people who are likely searching out crackpot theories.

 

[filip]

They need to do this for so many other things in my recommended, I click on one buzz-feed video and that is all over my feed for the next 3 weeks. I watch some tech stuff and it is out of the recommended in a day or two, come on.

 

[Burticus]

They need to do this for so many other things in my recommended, I click on one buzz-feed video and that is all over my feed for the next 3 weeks. I watch some tech stuff and it is out of the recommended in a day or two, come on.

Hey you know what, I've noticed this too. If I click on one type of video, watch the whole thing or not, it it sticks in my recommeded side bar forever. But a different video (maybe a tech video or something independant) never seems to stick around.

It's almost as if YT wants you to re-watch certain videos. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. I'd love to see someone apply some science to this.

 

[bigdogchris]

Don't worry guys, there is absolutely no chance of abuse for political gain.

I get what you're saying. The difference is politics is an opinion, where whether or not the Earth is flat or not is a fact.

I have yet to see YouTube remove "opinions".

 

[illaghee]

The Earth is Flat? GTFOH... BRB..

 

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

what they ought to do is demonetize such videos, and add a disclaimer that such videos are not factually based scientifically and point to a different source that explains why that is.

otherwise you are just convincing the nut theories out there by censoring. they need to be educated, not further feeling vindicated in their beliefs via censoring.

 

[sfsuphysics]

The problem is the recommendation algorithm goes way to deep sometime. I watch a video on Neil DeGrasse Tyson eating spicy wings, it recommends videos including NDT debunks flat earth, now even without me clicking on that video it also had others debunking flat earth as well as videos about flat earth. I mean Christ little key word recommendations are annoying and god forbid I click on one, then that's most of what is recommended

 

[Jagger100]

Does anybody believe the earth is flat. I mean how many people really buy that not just watch it? A trivial number. And if they believe it, how does it affect your life? Hard to see at all.

Let's put away the idea this is about flat earth, cosmic rays, holistic cures. If someone wants to use bee venom to treat arthritis, I don't give a shit. No one does. This is about things that affect politics or corporate incomes.

 

[The Mad Atheist]

I can handle the FE'er videos, nice to troll those loonies now and then.
Wish YT would stop showing my those damn Pure Flix, TikTok, and Prager ads.
Also stop showing me videos I watched before!

 

[Deleted member 204526]

Does anybody believe the earth is flat. I mean how many people really buy that not just watch it? A trivial number. And if they believe it, how does it affect your life? Hard to see at all.

Let's put away the idea this is about flat earth, cosmic rays, holistic cures. If someone wants to use bee venom to treat arthritis, I don't give a shit. No one does. This is about things that affect politics or corporate incomes.

I think most just do it for attention or to troll. I believe the number of people who truly believe the Earth is flat is tiny. Or that could be my having too much faith in humanity.

 

[Axman]

This type of thinking is at the top.

Like some kind of thought...crime? Thoughtcrime?

 

[-PK-]

Good. Too many stupid people pushing facebook fads to sell their fake products. That's how anti-vaxers have made it to the World Health Organization top 10 health threats of 2019. As if essential oils or a cleanse shake would stop you from getting polio or cancer.

 

[Axman]

Good

No. This will have the opposite effect. By suppressing concepts, by eliminating real discourse, it will impart value to them. They will become forbidden fruit and irresistible.

And on top of that, it's immoral; you can't tell people what to believe. And you sure can't tell them what they must and mustn't put in their bodies.

It doesn't matter if their beliefs cause you harm. If they cause damage to others, there is recourse -- after the fact.

 

[scojer]

Good. Too many stupid people pushing facebook fads to sell their fake products. That's how anti-vaxers have made it to the World Health Organization top 10 health threats of 2019. As if essential oils or a cleanse shake would stop you from getting polio or cancer.

You mean licking a frog won't cure halitosis?

 

[Hakaba]

Don’t do it Google! How else will I get my can’t sleep 2am laughs?

I vaguely remember one, where a fellow proved the Earth was flat using two cameras and a swinging gate.

 

[pmrdij]

Please Elon, Jeff or Richard: pay for these Flat Earth morons to go up and provide an official account to their followers of what Yuri and everyone since has seen from space.

Good. Too many stupid people pushing facebook fads to sell their fake products. That's how anti-vaxers have made it to the World Health Organization top 10 health threats of 2019. As if essential oils or a cleanse shake would stop you from getting polio or cancer.

Measles is making a comeback here in the NW right now... Congratulations are in order to these anti-vaxxers for successfully returning us to a disease that had been eliminated in 2000. If you encounter one of these people please be sure to say fuck you.

 

[Hakaba]

Please Elon, Jeff or Richard: pay for these Flat Earth morons to go up and provide an official account to their followers of what Yuri and everyone since has seen from space.


Measles is making a comeback here in the NW right now... Congratulations are in order to these anti-vaxxers for successfully returning us to a disease that had been eliminated in 2000. If you encounter one of these people please be sure to say fuck you.

Wont matter, these people look up to hero’s like this, https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevor...e-rocket-to-prove-earth-is-flat/#4b816e069b6f

Let’s ignore that 1800 feet is lower than some land mass around there, much less the planes that fly...

 

[M76]

What who is taking flat earth videos seriously? Their purpose is to have a laugh. And you get more debunking videos in the recommendations anyway.

Either way censoring a bad idea only makes it stronger.

 

[Nightfire]

^^^ And here we go with the [H]ardcore conspiracy theory buffs/group making a reason for this filtering other than the are spreading STUPID f'ing wrong information.

You don't get it at all. It is not about flat-earth. That was just Youtube's example to make people laugh it off as a good thing. It is nice to get an alternate look at topics a little more serious. Do a search on the synagogue shooting or better yet, the MAGA bomber. The first few pages are the sentimental shit that the elitists want you to digest. Any kind of alternate viewpoint like Mark Dice, or the Red Elephant will not show up until page 4 or so despite having far more views than most of the videos. Then there is the issue of demonetizing such youtubers, most recently John Ward. It is not a bunch of conspiracy theorists, it a large portion of the population sick and tired of being told how to think.

Imagine if we had alternate media during events like WACO or the number of incidents that have led us into conflict despite being sold on a lie by (((them))).

 

[haste.]

They will only promote crackpot (liberal) theories they agree with. You are leaving it to google to determine what is crackpot.

You realize how ironic and hypocritical that comment is right?

 

[kromc5]

I believe they should stop people from showing the masked wire harness slip ups or all the air bubbles in space.

 

[Ziming]

So Youtube is trying to stop the spreading of flat earth which most consider retarded & stupid? Why is there a need for censorship if it's all fake & dumb? Let people watch and believe whatever they want. Flat earth doesn't seem much different from the many religions people believe in.