India Election Misinformation Policy

Introduction to India Election Misinformation and Fair and Balanced Policy Exception

• As YouTube Brand Safety Content Reviewers, it's crucial to ensure a safe and trusted environment for users and advertisers, as violating content can lead to negative brand association, revenue loss, and erosion of user trust.

Defining India Election Misinformation

• India Election Misinformation refers to false or inaccurate information about specific components of the India Election, usually disseminated with a deliberate intent to deceive individuals.
• This policy mainly focuses on content related to voter fraud, electronic voting machines, and election outcomes.

India Election Misinformation Policies

• Policy 917: Demonstrably false content that contradicts primary or authoritative sources regarding voting process and procedures, with the Election Commission of India (ECI) as the authoritative source.
• Policy 918: Content that declares past India elections were stolen/rigged, or that future elections will be stolen/rigged due to widespread voter fraud.
• Policy 919: Content that contradicts ballot integrity and safety in relation to electronic voting machines.
• Policy 920: Content that makes false outcome claims about the 2024 election, such as incorrect claims about the winning party or candidate.

Demonetization Before "Fair and Balanced"

• Before the "Fair and Balanced" exception, any content violating Policies 917, 918, or 919 would be demonetized if it didn't contain condemnation, refutation, or countervailing claims.

Understanding the "Fair and Balanced" EDSA Policy Exception

• The "Fair and Balanced" exception allows for nuanced content moderation, ensuring valuable discourse while upholding advertiser safety.
• This exception allows certain content violating Policies 917, 918, or 919 to remain monetized if it meets specific criteria.

Criteria for "Fair and Balanced" Exception

• Content qualifies for EDSA if it includes any one of the following aspects accompanying each violative claim:
  • Satirical and artistic content: implicitly or explicitly ridicules or dismisses the violative claim.
  • Contradicts violative claims: directly challenges violative content or provides information counter to the violating assertion.

Examples of "Fair and Balanced" Content

• Satirical content:
  • Stand-up comedian joking about election rigging conspiracy theories.
  • Borat, a fictional character, or comedy skits portraying or interviewing real political figures making violative claims in a satirical context.
• Content that contradicts violative claims:
  • A news segment featuring an expert from the Election Commission of India debunking claims that EVMs are easily hacked, presenting data and evidence of their security measures.