In a bid to make it easier for users to find credible health information, YouTube is rolling out two new features for health-related searches: health source information panels and health content shelves.
The health source information panel will show up on videos from authoritative sources. This serves as an indicator that the information shared in the video is credible and reliable. The panel appears between the video title and the buttons row. It features a medical cross badge and a short description conveying that the video comes from an accredited hospital or medical institute.
"We're adding health source information panels on videos to help viewers identify videos from authoritative sources and health content shelves that more effectively highlight videos from these sources when you search for specific health topics. These context cues are aimed at helping people more easily navigate and evaluate credible health information. People will still be able to find relevant videos from a range of channels in their search results," wrote Dr. Garth Graham, MD, Director and Global Head of Healthcare, YouTube.
Meanwhile, the health content shelve is a new section that appears at the top in health-related searches. For example, if you search the term "breast cancer," you'll see a new "From health sources" section at the top featuring videos from credible health sources on a vertically-scrollable feed. Users will still be able to find relevant videos from other sources, but they will appear below the health shelve.
First launched in the US last year, YouTube says it's now expanding these features to users in India, Brazil, and Japan. The company plans to roll out the new features to other countries in the coming months.
YouTube says it used a set of principles developed by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) to identify which sources to include in these health features. It's also working with WHO and NAM to review and validate global principles for identifying credible health sources.
Source: YouTube Official Blog