Report: YouTube Skews Search Algorithm to Promote Mainstream Media Sources

YouTube has reportedly altered their search algorithm to promote mainstream news sources after searches for the Las Vegas shooting returned conspiracy theory videos.

USA Today reports that YouTube has altered their video search system to promote mainstream news outlets when searching for news-related stories after initial results returned conspiracy theory videos. YouTube confirmed on Thursday that the changes had been made to their search results but did not outline how they decide which news outlets should be given priority over other YouTube channels.

YouTube also did not clarify which news sources they will be actively promoting, but searching for “Las Vegas shooting” on YouTube currently returns BBC News, Fox News, and CBC News in the first four search results.

YouTube came under fire recently after popular YouTuber Casey Neistat attempted to donate all of the ad revenue from a video to charity to help the victims of the Las Vegas shooting, but shortly after Neistat announced his plan the video was demonetized. Neistat questioned this decision by YouTube on Twitter and was informed that YouTube’s policy is not to run ads on videos about tragedies; however, Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue about the Vegas shooting was allowed to run multiple ads, a point highlighted by YouTuber Philip DeFranco.

YouTube has not responded to DeFranco or Neistat since their original claim relating to their ad policy.