YouTube has always had videos with conspiracy theories, hoaxes and misinformation. In the wake of the Las Vegas shootings, the company has decided to address the problem. The company updated its search algorithm Thursday to promote authoritative news sources at the top of search results, according to a person familiar with the matter. YouTube has been working on the change for months, but decided to release it early after conspiracy videos surfaced on its site about the Las Vegas shooting. Visitors
searching YouTube for information about Sunday’s shooting or shooter Stephen Paddock have been directed to videos pushing conspiracy theories. They claim there where were multiple shooters, that the shooting was staged by the U.S. government, and that Paddock was an anti-Trump activist, among other things. The issue picked up steam on social media Wednesday and was documented in articles from Buzzfeed and The Guardian. READ MORE
