YouTube debuts two new features to help improve credible health info in India

YouTube has rolled out two new features - health source information panels and health content shelves - in India as it looks to ramp up authoritative, credible and engaging health information on its platform, the company said on March 24.

These features will be available in English and Hindi and will provide context cues aimed at helping people easily access videos from verified health sources, it said.

Health source information panels will show up under videos from accredited health organizations and government entities, helping viewers better evaluate the source of information and distinguish credible health content on YouTube.

Health Source Information Panels

Meanwhile, health content shelves will highlight videos from authoritative sources when viewers search for specific health topics.

For instance, when users search for specific health conditions such as heart disease, breast cancer among others on YouTube, a new section in the search page will surface videos related to the relevant health topic from accredited health organizations and government entities.

"Video can help make complicated, clinical topics understandable and accessible in ways that text simply cannot. That’s why we’re investing to grow our platform’s role as an effective, engaging, and trusted tool for public health communication through principles, partnerships and product development" said Dr. Garth Graham, Director and Global Head of Healthcare and Public Health, YouTube.

He mentioned that they remain "committed to provide equitable access to highly authoritative health information that is evidence-based, culturally relevant and engaging."

Health Content Shelf

To identify which sources to include in these new health features, the company said it initially used a set of principles developed by a panel of experts convened by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) in the United States. NAM and The World Health Organization recently convened a meeting of interdisciplinary experts from around the world to review and validate the principles for global application, the company said in a statement.

"While only accredited health organizations and government entities are currently included in our health context features, we’re exploring ways to broaden eligibility and evaluate inclusion of other health sources, as well as ways to expand these features globally" Graham said in a blogpost.

The Google-owned website also elaborated on various measures it has taken in the past couple of years to tackle misinformation around the pandemic and vaccine hesitancy.

This includes creating a destination for users to access reliable content in more than eight Indian languages. It featured content from credible sources such as the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, health organizations such as Apollo Hospitals and Max Healthcare and clinicians apart from prominent creators.

"During the pandemic, our YouTube channel was an important component of our larger comprehensive response plan, Project Kavach, providing timely and critical information about COVID-19 and vaccines from subject matter experts," said Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group.

Reddy mentioned that the company's YouTube channel enabled them to "deliver trustworthy, fact-based information" in various regional languages to millions of users across India.

In 2020, YouTube also launched health panels for depression and anxiety to provide users with helpful, easy to understand information from authoritative sources.

In August 2021, the company said it had removed more than one million videos related to "dangerous coronavirus information, like false cures or claims of a hoax".

YouTube also expanded its medical misinformation policies in September 2021 to include new guidelines that meant it will remove content that spreads harmful misinformation about vaccine safety, the efficacy of vaccines and ingredients in approved and administered vaccines.