YouTube has introduced a verification system aimed at addressing the spread of medical misinformation online.
It specifically targets content shared by doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals in the UK.
This move involves the issuance of an official seal of approval, represented by a blue tick, to accounts managed by licensed healthcare practitioners and verified organizations that successfully pass the verification process.
Vishaal Virani, YouTube’s Head of UK Health, emphasized the necessity of this step due to the substantial number of UK residents seeking healthcare information via the video-sharing platform.
In 2021 alone, health-related videos garnered over two billion views in the UK.
Virani told BBC: “We need to do as good a job as possible to bring rigor to the content that they are subsequently consuming when they do start their care journey online.”
The verification system began accepting applications in June, and accounts participating in the initiative have started receiving a YouTube authenticity mark on their video content.
Health content creators submitting applications undergo a thorough verification process, conducted in collaboration with the UK’s Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the NHS.
Applicants’ previous videos are also reviewed, and a verification badge is withheld if past content contains medical misinformation.
Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chairwoman of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, noted that they managed to produce an easy-to-apply set of principles that will ultimately benefit everyone who turns to YouTube seeking trustworthy health information.
YouTuber and doctor Simi Adedeji already received her YouTube verification tick.
However, Adedeji emphasized that her videos should not be seen as a substitute for consulting a healthcare professional.
She clarified, “There’s a difference between giving medical education, which is what we’re doing, and giving medical advice, which we don’t do.”
“It’s about providing medical information so that the audience feels empowered and can then seek advice from their doctor.”
