In the world of online content, YouTube is a big platform, carefully handling tons of information. Timothy Katz, YouTube’s director, recently shared that they use a lot of AI to keep content in check. This is important because there’s a serious risk of false information and tricky media online.
YouTube’s Vigilance Against Misinformation
According to Katz, Google and YouTube have been harnessing the power of AI for an extended period, particularly for content moderation at scale. The platform’s approach is nuanced, employing AI to label, remove, or de-amplify content based on the nature and impact of misinformation. Katz emphasized that content violating policies, irrespective of its origin, will be promptly removed from the platform.
YouTube’s guidelines on misinformation explicitly prohibit the posting of technically manipulated content that could mislead users and pose a serious risk of harm. Complementing this, Google’s ad policy extends its reach to manipulated media, deepfakes, and other altered content intended to deceive, defraud, or mislead users.
Deepfakes and the Shift in Content Creation
Ishan John Chatterjee, who is the director of YouTube in India, talked about how YouTube works closely with important partners to fight against fake news, misinformation, and tricky videos. YouTube has set up rewards to encourage everyone, including governments and important partners, to work together on these issues.
Katz, the person in charge, recognized that Google and YouTube have been using AI to manage content for a while. But with the introduction of generative AI, creating content has become much easier. This has changed how people make content.
There’s a big change happening with YouTube’s new rule for creators. Now, all creators must tell everyone when they make any fake-looking content, especially on important topics like elections or health crises. If they don’t follow this rule, there could be serious consequences, like their content being taken down or getting kicked out of the YouTube.
To further fortify the integrity of information, advertisers posting election ads are now required to disclose the inclusion of digitally altered or generated material. This step aims to provide transparency to users, ensuring that they are aware of the authenticity of the content they engage with during critical times such as elections.
Labels and Watermarks
YouTube is set to implement visible labels on videos that have been altered. While these labels will typically reside in the description box, more sensitive topics will feature a “more prominent label” in the video player itself. Content created using YouTube’s generative AI products and features will consistently bear labels identifying them as altered or synthetic, accompanied by watermarks in the metadata.
