Most of us are reeling from Coronavirus -- but some people are profiting from it.

 
 

YouTube is profiting off videos pedaling fake remedies to stave off Coronavirus, and those content creators are also taking a cut! But YouTube had originally decided to prohibit all ads on Covid-19 related content -- they could roll back to that common-sense policy if enough people demand it. That's where we come in:

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John,

Most of us are reeling from Coronavirus -- but some are profiting from it.

One example is YouTube -- who recently walked back a restriction they placed on advertisements on COVID-19 related videos. So now, not only is YouTube profiting off videos pedaling fake remedies to stave off the virus, but those content creators themselves are also taking a cut!

We are facing a serious crisis -- hundreds of thousands of people could die in the coming weeks. As the largest video platform in the world, YouTube should be pulling out all the stops to help protect people instead of looking for ways to profit.

If YouTube rolls back to their original common-sense policy to prohibit ads on Coronavirus related videos, there will be way less incentive for people to publish these harmful videos in the first place. Plus, they already made this decision before -- they could do it again if enough of us demand it.

Tell YouTube: stop allowing ads on Coronavirus-related content!

One example of these videos is a woman warning people to steer clear of Chinese restaurants to avoid getting the virus. Another was advising to take unsafe levels of vitamin C. Others involve more complicated remedies like burning incense and eating specific types of leaves.

The only information people should be getting about Coronavirus should come from official channels -- not from random people giving unscientific advice which could put people’s lives at risk!

It’s true that we are in unprecedented times and tech giants are still figuring out how to respond to this crisis. But here’s the thing: YouTube specifically decided to profit off this type of content, and that’s just wrong. They get an average of 5 billion views a day -- they can profit off other types of videos during this serious crisis.

But YouTube will only listen if millions of us demand it. Click to add your name, and then share this everywhere -- let’s stop the Coronavirus bogus video profits!

Tell YouTube: stop allowing ads on Coronavirus-related content!

Coronavirus has disrupted our lives beyond anything we could've imagined. But that means more and more people are relying on social media, and we are the best group to make sure those companies are doing what they can to protect us.

 Add your name 

Thanks for all that you do,
Rewan and the team at SumOfUs


More information:

The pandemic is already reshaping tech’s misinformation crisis Tech Crunch, April 3, 2020
YouTube profits from videos promoting unproven Covid-19 treatments The Guardian, April 3, 2020

 
 

 

 


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