Election Interference? YouTube Covers for Biden, Adds Fact Check to Searches Related to Biden and Fracking
YouTube has created a fact check for when people search Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s past comments on fracking.
In the fact check on top of the list of videos, it provides an “independent fact check” from Snopes.
“Did Biden Propose A Ban on Fracking?” the fact check read.
It rates the claim that “In the 2020 presidential election, Democratic candidate Joe Biden’s policy on fracking was to ban it outright” as “Mostly False.”
On the Snopes web page that it redirects to from YouTube, Snopes appears to be defending Biden’s inconsistency on the issue.
“Biden’s campaign quickly clarified that he was referring to his already repeatedly stated policy on fracking, which is to end new gas and oil production on federal lands, but not ban fracking outright,” Snopes said.
This clarification was in reference to a comment Biden made while debating Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in March.
“I’m talking about stopping fracking as soon as we possibly can. I’m talking about telling the fossil fuel industry that they are going to stop destroying this planet — no ifs, buts and maybes about it,” Sanders said.
“So am I,” Biden responded.
“Well I’m not sure your proposal does that…” Sanders replied.
During the second presidential debate last week, Biden was asked about the future of the energy sector in the United States.
“I would transition from the oil industry. Yes,” Biden said.
On Saturday, Biden attempted to walk back his comments after the debate.
“I will not ban fracking,” he said during a campaign speech.
Biden’s inconsistency on the issue has become a subject of ridicule from President Donald Trump’s campaign, as the oil industry employs hundreds of thousands in battleground Rust Belt states.
Joe Biden will ban fracking and destroy the energy industry. pic.twitter.com/gZtC2Ni9nF
— Team Trump (Text VOTE to 88022) (@TeamTrump) October 23, 2020
What’s concerning is that YouTube appears to be using this fact check in order to shield Biden from criticism on fracking.
One could even argue that YouTube, which is owned by Google, is participating in election interference by placing a fact check that could possibly change the mind of battleground state voters who are impacted by fracking.
While this may have been a well-intentioned action to prevent disinformation, it appears that this is part of an effort by the company to encourage people to vote Democratic this election.
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