YouTube on Thursday announced two new features, which were already available in the United States (US), to help Indians access credible health information.
The Google-owned video streaming giant is introducing health source information panels and health content shelves featuring verified sources, , IANS reported. These features will be available in both English and Hindi.
"We remain committed to our mission to provide equitable access to highly authoritative health information that is evidence-based, culturally relevant and engaging," said Garth Graham, YouTube's director of healthcare and public health.
"YouTube has the potential to transform how healthcare providers inform, educate, and motivate people to live healthier lives," he added. The feature will be rolled out in Japan and Brazil as well, according to The Indian Express.
Health Source Information Panel
When you watch a video on YouTube related to health, especially from accredited health organisations and government entities, an information panel may show up below it, providing context on the source.
This is so that viewers can better understand where the information is coming from and whether it is credible.
"To identify which health sources are eligible for this feature, we started by using the principles and definitions developed by a panel of experts convened by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and reviewed by the American Public Health Association (APHA)," Google says on its dedicated webpage.
The NAM is a nonprofit organisation that brings together top health experts and APHA is a professional association of public health practitioners advocating for public health policies backed by science.
Health Content Shelves
When you search for topics related to specific physical or mental health conditions on YouTube, a shelf may appear with authoritative health content related to your search result.
This is intended to visually separate and highlight videos from accredited health organisations, academic medical journals, and government entities.
The platform says it uses the principles outlined by experts convened by the NAM, and verified by the World Health Organization (WHO).
"Health content shelves may not be available for all health conditions in search results. We’re working to include more health conditions in the shelves and expand eligibility to more channels," said YouTube.
COVID-19 Info Panels Shown 250 Billion Times in India
YouTube, in its statement, said that it has become an "indispensable part" of the lives of millions of Indians, IANS reported. Ever since the pandemic hit, the platform has felt an increasing need for credible and easily accessible information to tackle widespread misinformation.
It says that information panels helping Indian users find authoritative information on COVID-19 have been shown more than 250 billion times on the homepage since February 2020.
YouTube reportedly quoted an Oxford Economics Impact Report 2021 which suggested that 69 percent of users said that YouTube has been a reliable source of information since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Video can help make complicated, clinical topics understandable and accessible in ways that text simply cannot," said Graham.
Apart from COVID-19, YouTube Health has also launched health panels for depression and anxiety from credible sources.
(With inputs from IANS and The Indian Express.)
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