YouTube Is Incentivizing Vloggers to Promote Conspiracy Theories

YouTube has long positioned itself as an alternative platform to the mainstream media, but—in at least one, crucial way—that might not be such a good thing. Researchers are starting to understand that the structure and model of YouTube as a platform helps contribute to conspiracy and far-right content creation. Motherboard reporter Caroline Haskins found that many YouTubers have realized fringe content is successful on the site, and—because they're rewarded with engagement and views, which means, in turn, cash—they're incentivized to create more and more extreme videos. On this episode of The VICE Guide To Right Now Podcast, we sit down with Haskins for the full story, and learn why the problem is so difficult to solve.

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