OANN banned from YouTube for a week for spreading COVID-19 misinformation

YouTube has recently suspended One America News Network (OANN) from its platform after the news outlet uploaded a video on its YouTube channel spreading coronavirus misinformation. The video-sharing platform had been working to curb the spread of false or misleading information associated with the COVID-19. 

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OANN banned from YouTube for a week

OANN has been suspended from YouTube for a week after it posted a video on its channel which promised a guaranteed cure for the COVID-19. The account was suspended under YouTube's misinformation policy, which prohibits sharing of content that claims a guaranteed cure for the disease. Apart from the inability to post new content, the news network won't be able to generate any revenues from other videos on its YouTube channel during this suspension period. 

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Ivy Choi, a YouTube spokesperson recently said in an official statement that the video-sharing platform had been working to prevent the spread of harmful misinformation related to the novel Coronavirus disease. He also revealed that the video uploaded by One America News Network was removed from the platform after a careful review before a strike was issued on the channel. This is because the news network was in violation of YouTube's COVID-19 misinformation policy. He also clarified that the channel was also suspended from the YouTube Partner Program over repeated violations of the company's COVID-19 misinformation policy and other channel monetisation policies.

YouTube is one of the many technology companies that has been taking strict actions against users who share false information on the novel Coronavirus disease which may confuse people about its nature, spread and treatments. 

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What is OANN?

One America News Network, or One America News, is a cable channel which is owned by San Diego-based media company, Herring Networks, Inc. It was founded by Robert Herring Sr. and launched in 2013.  

OANN started to gain popularity after Donald Trump began promoting the news network as a Fox News alternative. OANN also backed Trump when he made allegations of voter fraud and presented them as credible, despite they were dismissed by the relevant authorities.

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Image credits: Unsplash | christianw