YouTube has reportedly changed its search algorithm to promote videos from mainstream news outlets in search results, according to USA Today. The changes came about after people looking for details on the Las Vegas shooting came across conspiracy theories and misinformation as top search results instead.
YouTube confirmed the changes on Thursday. It didn’t explain criteria used for deciding which news source are reputable.
Days after the mass shooting, videos surfaced on YouTube questioning the legitimacy of the news, while some claimed cover-ups by law enforcement officials. Some claimed the shooting was a “false flag” – a term conspiracy theorists use to refer to mass shootings they believe were staged by the government to promote gun control.
As of current, official statements reported that Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock acted alone, opening fire Sunday from the 32-second floor of the hotel. The attack killed 58 people and injured nearly 500. Paddock shot and killed himself as police tried to break into the room. Paddock’s motives still aren’t clear. He was a retired accountant.
This isn’t the first instance a tech giant has faced backlash regarding promoting false information and conspiracy theories. Facebook was under a lot of fire this year regarding fake news being disseminated on its platforms, while Google (and YouTube) faced controversy over ads running alongside extremist videos.
The Wall Street Journal found incidents this week in which YouTube suggested videos promoting conspiracy theories next to videos from mainstream news sources. YouTube acknowledged issues with the “Up next” algorithm and said it was looking to promote more authoritative results there, too.
