(Washington, D.C.) – YouTube announced on Wednesday that it will begin removing videos that claim widespread voter illegalities or irregularities surrounding 2020’s elections. The move comes 36 days after polls have closed and President-elect Joe Biden was the projected winner. Lawyers and advocates have appealed to Facebook and Twitter to follow suit.
The following is a statement from Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:
“Since the election, President Trump has relied less on the White House podium and television screens to promote his voice. Trump has clearly turned to social media as his bully pulpit in the post-election season, using this forum to promote falsehoods and lies regarding our democratic process. As election misinformation and outright lies continue to emanate from President Trump and his allies, it’s important for major social media platforms to take action to remove misinformation and elevate accurate and valid news and information sources. But even more important is that they do it in a timely fashion. We recognize YouTube for taking action, albeit 36 days after the general election to begin removing misleading election information and urge Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms to swiftly follow suit. It shouldn’t take several weeks for a company to formally decide to remove conspiracy theories, lies, and false election rumors, especially when these disinformation campaigns have resulted in real-life threats of violence, caused public confusion and undermined democracy.”
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About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law – The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers’ Committee), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of voting rights, criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and hate crimes. For more information, please visit https://lawyerscommittee.org.
