Flat Earth: How Did YouTube Help Spread A Conspiracy Theory?

Video

All around the world, there are conspiracy theorists who believe the Earth is flat. And their community seems to be growing, judging by attendance at flat Earth conferences and events.

Flat Earthers say YouTube was key in helping them spread their message. One researcher found that of attendees at a flat Earth conference, nearly all said they first came to the idea through the video-sharing platform.

The Google-owned company says it's taking action to prevent conspiracy videos from reaching large numbers of people.

So how - and why - did YouTube enable the flat Earth community to grow?

Hear more about this story on the BBC Trending podcast.

Video journalist: Marco Silva

You can follow BBC Trending on Twitter @BBCtrending, and find us on Facebook. And you can listen to Trending on the BBC World Service. All our stories are at bbc.com/trending

  • 18 Jul 2019

RECENT NEWS

From Chip War To Cloud War: The Next Frontier In Global Tech Competition

The global chip war, characterized by intense competition among nations and corporations for supremacy in semiconductor ... Read more

The High Stakes Of Tech Regulation: Security Risks And Market Dynamics

The influence of tech giants in the global economy continues to grow, raising crucial questions about how to balance sec... Read more

The Tyranny Of Instagram Interiors: Why It's Time To Break Free From Algorithm-Driven Aesthetics

Instagram has become a dominant force in shaping interior design trends, offering a seemingly endless stream of inspirat... Read more

The Data Crunch In AI: Strategies For Sustainability

Exploring solutions to the imminent exhaustion of internet data for AI training.As the artificial intelligence (AI) indu... Read more

Google Abandons Four-Year Effort To Remove Cookies From Chrome Browser

After four years of dedicated effort, Google has decided to abandon its plan to remove third-party cookies from its Chro... Read more

LinkedIn Embraces AI And Gamification To Drive User Engagement And Revenue

In an effort to tackle slowing revenue growth and enhance user engagement, LinkedIn is turning to artificial intelligenc... Read more