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the YouTube algorithm promotes fake cancer cures in A NumberContent ='JJ Lin'> of languages, and The SiteContent ='JJ Lin'> runs advertising for big brands and universities to misleading videos, a BBC investigation has found.

looking YouTube over 10 languages translated, the BBC found More ThanContent ='JJ Lin'> 80 videos with Health -disinformation - especially bogus cancer cures. Ten of The VideosContent ='JJ Lin'> had More ThanContent ='JJ Lin'> a million views. Many were accompanied by advertising.

The unproven "cures" often consuming certain substances, such as turmeric or baking powder. Juice diets or extreme fasting were also common themes. Some of the YouTubers in favour of drinking Asses ' milk, or boiling water. None of the so-called cures offered are clinically proven for the treatment of cancer.

Appear in front of The FakeContent ='JJ Lin'> cancer cure videos commercials for well known brands such as Samsung, Heinz and Clinique.

YouTube-advertising-System means that both the Google-owned company " and the video-makers, The MoneyContent ='JJ Lin'> from the misleading Clips .

Khawla Aissane, speaking in Arabic on your YouTube channel, suggested donkey's milk, the activity of cancer cells was able to stop down not to other languagesIn January to in English - But , YouTube announced that they would be "the reduction of the recommendations of the borderline Content , and Content that could have a. user in harmful ways—such as The VideosContent ='JJ Lin'> , which will be the promotion of a false miracle cure for a serious disease "

But The CompanyContent ='JJ Lin'> said The ChangeContent ='JJ Lin'> initially only on the recommendations of a very small group of videos, in the United StatesContent ='JJ Lin'> , and does not apply to the in languages other than English .

The BBC's search covered English , Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, Persian, Hindi, German, Ukrainian, French, and Italian.

We found that, for example, in Russian, a simple search of "cancer" leads to videos, the drink of the baking powder is in favour of. Watch these videos, in turn, led to recommendations for other unproven "treatments", such as Carrot JuiceContent ='JJ Lin'> , or extreme fasting.

Erin McAweeney, a research analyst in the data & Society institute, explained that, because the YouTube algorithm recommends similar videos to the one you have just watched, it will be continuously "carve a path" from one video to the next, regardless of the credibility of the advice offered.

"Anyone can begin, a credible video, and suggested to observe a juice-cure video. A recommendation System does not know, in a credible and non-credible Content . "McAweeney says.

" found YouTube, that its recommendation that the System -which has been accused of leading users down rabbit holes and radicalisation - that would change, not recommend The VideosContent ='JJ Lin'> that are credible and trustworthy, People who watch videos may.

YouTube Community guidelines, including to prohibit harmful Content , "the promotion of dangerous remedies or cures: the Content , the claims that harmful substances or treatments can have Health benefits. "

Many of The FakeContent ='JJ Lin'> cancer - >found-cure of the BBC, such as juicing, were not harmful in themselves, But indirectly, by a cancer suffering Health - for example, if you neglect the conventional medical approaches in favour of the so-called cures

a Lot of Brazilian YouTubers, including Elizeu Correia, pleaded eat, exotic plants for the treatment of cancer, such as bitter gourd. Earn money with misinform ation researchers of BBC Monitoring and Bbc NewsContent ='JJ Lin'> Brasil a series of ads were served, The FakeContent ='JJ Lin'> remedy videos.

in addition to Samsung, Heinz and Clinique, the BBC saw the advertising for the travel Booking website. com and writing app Grammarly, for Hollywood films, and British universities, including the University of East AngliaContent ='JJ Lin'> and the University of Gloucestershire. All the ads appeared in addition to potentially harmful misinformation.

companies and universities have distanced themselves from the misleading Content .

Samsung, The CampaignContent ='JJ Lin'> that had been carried out, said "there is No ConnectionContent ='JJ Lin'> or correlation" with The FakeContent ='JJ Lin'> cancer cure video that ran after it. "Samsung follows and adheres to the highest standards of fire safety guidelines on all advertising platforms it uses," The CompanyContent ='JJ Lin'> said in a statement.

Kraft, Heinz said that "it has A NumberContent ='JJ Lin'> of both automatic and human controls are continuously in place to ensure that we avoid that our advertising is running with inappropriate Content .

"This is a special instance about us, and we have taken steps to block this channel. "

Grammarly, a company whose advertising appeared to be said 20 times in addition to fake cancer cure videos-views from the BBC researcher: "After learning that, we immediately contacted YouTube to pull our viewing of such channels, and to ensure that the ads appear alongside the Content of the promulgation of misinformation. "

Clinique owner of Estee LauderContent ='JJ Lin'> and booking. com has not responded to requests for comment.

The two universities, said that their ads appeared next to misleading videos only once, and The ChannelsContent ='JJ Lin'> have been locked out of your advertising campaigns, the after the contact is made by the BBC.

The University of East AngliaContent ='JJ Lin'> , said his own cancer research programme: "No payment was made by the University [especially for the ad, which ran alongside The FakeContent ='JJ Lin'> cure-video], and we have been in contact with Google to ensure that the placement will not happen again. "

The University of Gloucestershire said: "When advertising on YouTube, the Content is changing rapidly and even The MostContent ='JJ Lin'> attentive human and technological effort require constant care. As such, we continuously work with Google to ensure this type of placement will occur again. "

How does YouTube decide which ads you see? Advertising on YouTube can be targeted to specific regions or target groups. The systems that determine what to display to the person, at which point in time is complicated, said Tim SchmoyerContent ='JJ Lin'> , and founder of the YouTube advice Video Creator.

"YouTube is optimized to show The ExperienceContent ='JJ Lin'> , The RightContent ='JJ Lin'> advertising to The RightContent ='JJ Lin'> People at The RightContent ='JJ Lin'> time, to minimize is the task of the platform and provide The MostContent ='JJ Lin'> value for the advertiser, the Creator, and, of course," he says.

YouTube also has The PowerContent ='JJ Lin'> to "demonetise" certain channels, " in other words, in order to prevent that the video creators of any revenue from advertising.

The SiteContent ='JJ Lin'> has moved to demonetise channels that spread anti-vaccine misinformation, for example.

Demonitising can prevent to make that video-makers out of money, But it does not prevent that their videos go viral, according to McAweeney data & society, who says that it "shows no evidence that demonetising solves the Problem of the size of the audience and reach".

"There are Many motivations behind the spread of Health misinformation and disinformation, money is only one of them," she says. "In most cases, get the attention and the views on a video is worth more to these players than The MoneyContent ='JJ Lin'> they generated. "

Tatyana Efimova, who contacted for a soda treatment, your video according to the BBC, the The BBC the details of The FakeContent ='JJ Lin'> cure-videos shared on YouTube, and they have so far demonetised over 70 videos for the violation of their monetization policy.

The BBC also contact The CreatorsContent ='JJ Lin'> of five of The VideosContent ='JJ Lin'> .

A Russian YouTuber, Tatyana Efimova, who is in favour of cure, the baking powder,"", made it clear in your video that you are not a doctor. She SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> she told a personal story of someone they knew, and to decide that it is up to the audience, whether it is baking powder or not. After contact by the BBC, you removed the video and said: "It is so important to me. "

Elizeu Correia, a Brazilian YouTuber said in his video claimed, bitter gourd tea may fight tumors "is a hazardous or toxic tea". Then he made the video private, so it is visible to the public.

Shunyakal, a Hindi-language media organization, does not respond directly to the BBC request for comment, But their video center has been a non-medical treatment of cancer removed from your public channel, after we have contacted you. Prior to removal, it had been viewed More ThanContent ='JJ Lin'> 1. 4 million times.

The BBC also contact Khawla Aissane, who promoted donkey's milk as a remedy, But they did not respond.

YouTube refused a request for an interview. In a statement The CompanyContent ='JJ Lin'> said: "disinformation is a difficult challenge, and we already have a series of steps, this also shows relevant Content on medical issues, show tables with credible sources, and remove ads from The VideosContent ='JJ Lin'> , the promotion of Health -damaging claims.

"not Our systems are perfect, But we are constantly working on improvements, and we continue to progress in this area. "

Health communitySome YouTube videos found in the BBC research comments on the need to try to professional medical advice, But Many encouraged their remedies as an alternative to conventional cancer treatments.

part of The SolutionContent ='JJ Lin'> , he says, is for professionals to create more Content .

cancer, fake news, social media

Source of news: bbc.com