WASHINGTON, Sept 29: YouTube, a Google-owned video platform, has expanded its medical misinformation policies to include new guidelines that ban vaccine misinformation. "Today, we're expanding our medical misinformation policies on YouTube with new guidelines on currently administered vaccines that are approved and confirmed to be safe and effective by local health authorities and the WHO," according to a company blog post.

"Specifically, content that falsely alleges that approved vaccines are dangerous and cause chronic health effects, claims that vaccines do not reduce transmission or contraction of disease, or contains misinformation on the substances contained in vaccines will be removed," it added. "This would include content that falsely says that approved vaccines cause autism, cancer or infertility, or that substances in vaccines can track those who receive them. Our policies not only cover specific routine immunizations like for measles or Hepatitis B, but also apply to general statements," it noted. The platform previously introduced a policy prohibiting misinformation related to the coronavirus during the pandemic, including about treatment and prevention.(KUNA)