Misinformation at Public Forums Vexes Local Boards, Big Tech

Associated PressPublished: August 15, 2021

Getty ITAMPA, FL - AUGUST 06: Schools board members looks on while members of the public speak during the special board meeting at the Hillsborough County Public Schools district office on August 6, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. The Hillsborough County School Board held a special meeting to decide if schools will reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images)mages

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Public forums before local school boards and city councils are the latest source of misinformation about COVID-19.

Videos of people criticizing masks or vaccines as ineffective have been seen by millions of people, and are creating new challenges for local governments and tech companies looking to weigh free speech against the harm of misleading medical claims.

YouTube had removed videos of several local government meetings. But it recently reversed its decision, saying it will create exceptions to its misinformation policy for local government videos. YouTube may still remove content that uses remarks from public forums in an attempt to mislead.

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Filed Under: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Categories: Associated Press, News