Security News > 2022 > September > Google, YouTube ban election trolls ahead of US midterms
Google and its YouTube subsidiary have joined other social media networks pledging to keep the 2022 US midterm elections safe and free from Russian trolls - and anyone else spewing democracy-damaging disinformation - by taking down such content.
The election strategies follow Google's move to ban MAGA message-board Truth Social from its Play store until the app removes content that incites violence.
"This includes videos that violated our election integrity policy by claiming widespread fraud, errors, or glitches occurred in the 2020 US presidential election, or alleging the election was stolen," she explained.
Other election content now apparently guaranteed to be yanked from YouTube includes anything that misleads people on where and how to vote, videos encouraging watchers to disrupt the democratic process or inciting violence, or pushing elections misinformation.
On the election security side of things, Google said it partnered with Defending Digital Campaigns to provide free security keys to more than 300 national committees, state parties, and political campaigns.
The search giant will enforce its policies "To combat the spread of election misinformation and demonstrably false claims that could significantly undermine participation or trust in the electoral process, such as false information about polling locations, means of voting, candidate eligibility or election results," Google VP of Trust and Safety Laurie Richardson wrote.