According to a report by the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights, influencers backing India’s ruling Hindu nationalist party have used YouTube videos to spread conspiracy theories and hateful content targeting Muslims and women in the biggest market for the platform by user base.
According to the report titled “A Platform ‘Weaponized’: How YouTube Spreads Harmful Content – And What Can Be Done About It”, the videos have helped fuel a conspiracy theory that Muslims spread Covid as a form of “jihad’, or holy war.
Citing examples of rivalries between street rival vendors turning violent after a YouTube video campaign, the report also claimed, “A spate of misogynistic rants by nationalistic Indian YouTube influencers have made such invective popular on the platform.” It added “The diatribes, many of which include physical threats, are often delivered as selfie videos.”
