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YouTube tries to crack down on conspiracy videos

NEW YORK — YouTube says it’s cracking down on conspiracy videos, though it’s scant on the details.
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YouTube takes aim at conspiracy videos. (File photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)

NEW YORK — YouTube says it’s cracking down on conspiracy videos, though it’s scant on the details.

Conspiracy videos abound on YouTube, whether it’s about the Earth being flat or school shootings being staged. YouTube, its parent Google, Facebook and Twitter are all facing challenges with the spread of misinformation, propaganda and fake news.

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said at a conference on Tuesday that the company will work to debunk videos espousing conspiracy theories by including links to the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. In a statement, YouTube said Wednesday that the links will include other “third-party sources.” But it isn’t identifying any.

The company says move is part of a broader initiative at YouTube to crack down on misinformation, but did not give details on what else is in the works.