Google to strengthen monitoring of fake news and illegal content on YouTube

Google's video-sharing platform YouTube will cooperate with South Korea to closely monitor and prevent the spread of fake news and illegal content, South Korea's telecommunications regulator said Friday, citing a Google executive.

Google's Senior Vice President Neal Mohan made the comments during a videoconference with Han Sang-hyuk, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, according to the regulator's statement.

The remarks came after Han requested such cooperation, considering fake news surrounding COVID-19 and a recent high-profile digital sexual abuse case in South Korea, in which such illegal materials were distributed across social media platforms.

The videoconference was also attended by Mark Lippert, current public policy chief of YouTube Asia Pacific and the former US ambassador to South Korea.

The regulator has kept a close watch over the tech giant this year.

Last month, Google voluntarily corrected subscription practices on its YouTube Premium service in the country, after the KCC found they were unfair for users.

The regulator also imposed a fine of 867 million won ($720,000) on Google for violating local telecom laws, as it did not properly notify users of YouTube Premium's charged service. (Yonhap)