A month ago, YouTube outlined steps it would take to combat extremist content on its network. This has become a must do on social networks in recent times since extremist organizations like terrorist groups use social media platforms to further push their agenda.
One of the steps YouTube promised to do is use counter-radicalization efforts to redirect users from extremist content and that is what they start doing from now.
The streaming giant will roll out a feature which will track certain keyboards people are searching on YouTube and the company will instead display a list of videos that will counter the extremist recruiting narratives.
This system was developed by Google’s Jigsaw which in partnership with Moonshot CVE where they researched on how extremist groups use tech to spread their messages and recruit new members. Thanks to this research, they created the Redirect Method which uses Adwords tools to redirect people from extremist propaganda and instead steer them to to videos that debunk their mythologies.
YouTube is not going to stop there. The company has said that they will expand this functionality by including other search queries from other languages beyond English, use machine learning to update search queries, work with NGOs to develop more counter video content and expand the Redirect Method in Europe.
YouTube joins the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Telegram in the fight against extremist content being posted on their networks. There is still a long way to go and it is great they are making efforts to curb activities by these extremists.
