Fierce forest fires have in the course of november devastated large parts of California, and at least 80 people have lost their lives while 500 people are still reported missing.
In times of crisis such as these can credible information can save lives, but on YouTube seems conspiracy theories and fake news to flourish completely unfettered on the popular videoportal. This, despite the fact that YouTube has committed itself to combat the misinformation.
This writes the american news site Motherboard, there are reports that the conspiracy theories and fake news tops the list of search suggestions that come up, when you are searching for information about fires.
the Media accusing YouTube of not doing enough to stop the flow of misinformation on the page, and if one is searching for videos of the forest fires, are words like ‘conspiracy’ – which in Danish means conspiracy – among the top search suggestions.
Screenshot from YouTube shows that the word ‘conspiracy’ (in Danish: conspiracy) appears as the second search suggestion when you search on ‘Wildfires California 2018’. Photo: Screenshot from YouTube
Many of the konspirationsteoretiske videos about the forest fires in California claim, wrongly, that the fires has been deliberately installed by the government owned laser weapons that should be mounted on the aircraft.
The absurd claims being tried documented by means of images, either manipulated or presented without the original context.
In a written comment to the Motherboard responds to the YouTube, not the specific case of disinformation in the videos about the forest fires, but informs that the videotjenesten have a news section on the page, directing users to credible news media in 23 countries.
‘In the course of the past year we have worked to improve the sharing of credible news sources on our page for users who are searching for nyhedsrelaterede topics’, write YouTube in the message.
Conspiracy theories and misinformation has proven to be a persistent problem on YouTube.
Earlier this year claimed one of the most watched videos on the site, to the survivors of the masseskyderiet at a school in Parkland, Florida, including the students ‘ spokesman, David Hogg, was an actor who was hired to promote a false narrative.
Community – 21. feb. 2018 – at. 17:07 Florida-sacrifice in the line of fire: Accused of being actors
Total downturn in California
the Democrats are now sitting on 45 out of California’s 53 seats in the House of Representatives – one of the two chambers of Congress.
the Majority of the seats Democrats have taken from Republicans has been won in the county Orange County.
Orange County is formerly known as a republican stronghold in the traditionally democratic state of California.
But with Cisneros’ victory – which also fell in the Orange County, all seven districts, located in or partially in the county now in democratic hands.
this is The first time since 1940 that it happens.
