Abstract
AbstractThis entry presents an overview of YouTube's role in health communication. The availability, affordability, and visual format of content on the video sharing site make YouTube a popular source of public health information. YouTube influencers model both healthy and unhealthy behaviors for viewers, and viewers exchange social support for their health problems on the website. Much of the content on YouTube that features unhealthy behavior is commercial, and children may be particularly susceptible to its influence. Credible public health organizations often upload campaign videos and public service announcements on YouTube. However, because the website has few restrictions dictating what videos can be uploaded on the site, YouTube users also commonly encounter misleading or inaccurate health‐related videos. The problem of health misinformation spreading on YouTube is exacerbated by the website's algorithm that encourages viewers to “go down the rabbit hole” by recommending they watch progressively extreme and misleading content. YouTube has taken some modest steps toward improving the accuracy of the information on the site, but the success of these efforts is unknown.
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