YouTube's solution to scary conspiracy theories: Wikipedia

YouTube is the place to find the TRUTH about 9/11, the moon landing, vaccines, and the healing power of crystals. And by truth, we mean conspiracy theories from guys with the username red_pill75.

At SXSW on Tuesday, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki unveiled the company's solution to its fake news problem: links to Wikipedia and other sources, which she called "information cues."

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"People can still watch the videos, but then they have access to additional information," she said, according to WIRED.

YouTube was slammed after its algorithm promoted conspiracy theories in the wake of shootings in Las Vegas and Florida. Right-wing crackpots pushed videos that claimed Parkland student David Hogg -- whose classmates were murdered with a legally purchased semiautomatic rifle -- was a "crisis actor" pushing the liberal agenda.

Like other platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, YouTube is happy to make money from disinformation while half-heartedly condemning it. So its new strategy isn't surprising.

Wojcicki used several examples, including videos about the moon landing and chemtrails when describing the type of content that would get Wikipedia links. At the moment, Wojcicki told WIRED editor-in-chief Nicholas Thompson, YouTube will include links alongside conspiracy theories that have garnered "significant debate" on the site.

That way, Google's YouTube gets to avoid libel lawsuits and hiring people to check facts -- you know, the stuff news organizations have to deal with -- but still gets to host videos about global warming being a hoax. All while sucking up the majority of online ad dollars.