Sunday, August 1, 2021

CORONAVIRUS. YouTube bans Sky News Australia and blocks the TV news channel for a week from uploading new content because of spreading Covid-19 misinformation.


by Thinus Ferreira

YouTube on Sunday confirmed and said that it has banned Sky News Australia from uploading any new content for a week because of spreading Covid-19 misinformation, AFP reported.

YouTube's weeklong ban of Sky News Australia, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp that also owns 21st Century Fox and the Fox News channel in America, comes after the TV news channel uploaded broadcast content questioning whether there is really a Covid-19 pandemic, featured a host claiming that lockdowns because of the coronavirus pandemic have failed, and criticising state authorities in Australia for extending Sydney's latest stay-at-home orders.

"We have clear and established Covid-19 medical misinformation policies to prevent the spread of Covid-19 misinformation that could cause real-world harm," YouTube  says in a statement.

Sky News Australia confirmed its ban on YouTube and says in a statement that the channel "supports broad discussion and debate on a wide range of topics and perspectives which is vital to any democracy".