Marketing 3 min read

YouTube to Expand its Fact Check Panel to the U.S.

Lukasz Stefanski / Shutterstock.com

Lukasz Stefanski / Shutterstock.com

Access to accurate information is essential, perhaps now more than ever.

As the novel coronavirus continues to spread, more people now rely on various online platforms for information about the disease. The popular video streaming site, YouTube, happens to be one of these platforms.

Over the past years, YouTube has evolved from a platform for cat videos to providing news and information. According to Google, more people now use the video streaming site to either get news on an election or learn about a significant breaking news event.

At the same time, a large number of people also rely on YouTube to find multiple perspectives on specific topics.

That’s why the video streaming giant has been working to improve the news experience on the platform. One such improvement includes raising authoritative sources of information across the site.

But there’s more. In a blog post on Tuesday, YouTube announced that it would start displaying fact check information panels on search results in the U.S.

The announcement reads:

“Today, we’re continuing this work by expanding our fact check information panels — which we launched in Brazil and India last year — to the United States.”

Here’s how it works.

How YouTube’s Fact Check Information Panel Works

YouTube only displays the panels when users search for a fact-checked topic on the video streaming site.

The Fact Check panel pops up at the top of the screen, above the search results. That way, users will not only get the information they need, but they can also identify false or harmful videos in the search results.

Our fact checks information panels provide fresh context by highlighting relevant, third-party fact-checked articles above search results for relevant queries,” says YouTube. By providing the panel, YouTube hopes viewers can make an informed decision about claims made in the news.

Pieces of information on the panel include:

  • The claim that was fact-checked
  • Who conducted the fact check
  • Publication date
  • A link to the fact check results
  • Whether the claim was found to be true or false

As you can imagine, the new feature would significantly impact video views on the platform. But, it could also address the issue of misinformation that has become part of the fast-moving news cycle.

When Does the Fact Check Panel Appear on YouTube Search Result?

Several factors will determine whether the panel appears in search results. However, the most crucial factor is that a relevant fact check article from an eligible publisher must be available for the query.

Also, the user’s search query must be about a specific claim rather than a general topic.

For example, searches for “did a tornado hit Los Angeles” could produce a relevant fact check article. On the other hand, searches for a more general query like “Tornado” is unlikely to produce an information panel.

Read More: Google now Shows Source of Websites’ Embedded YouTube Videos

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