How Advertisers Can Push Back Against Misinformation on YouTube

YouTube is a double-edged sword for advertisers. It's a goldmine of attention, with billions of eyeballs on one side. Millions of hours watched every day.

On the other side? A steady undercurrent of misinformation—cleverly disguised, often viral, and sometimes dangerously persuasive.

So, what happens when your ad, brand, and values… accidentally show up right before a video promoting misleading content?

That's not just awkward. That's brand-damaging. As brands grow more aware of this risk, one question becomes impossible to ignore:

How do you show up in the right places, without funding the wrong ones?

Let's talk about how advertisers can push back against misinformation on YouTube.

First, Know What You're Up Against

YouTube's scale is breathtaking. Every single minute, over 500 hours of video are uploaded. Think about that—by the time you finish reading this paragraph, a dozen new hours have hit the platform.

A decent chunk of that content? It's helpful, funny, inspiring, and incredibly creative. But another chunk? It veers into the murky. From shady health claims to clickbait conspiracy theories and algorithm-baiting misinformation, the platform has a serious quality control problem.

And here's the twist: a lot of that content is monetized. That means advertisers—maybe even you—are unintentionally funding it.

And the real issue? Most brands don't even know it's happening. Their ads... end up there.

So, pause and ask yourself:

Do you know where your YouTube ads ran last week?

And more importantly—do you know what they ran alongside?

Use YouTube's Safety Settings—Properly, Not Passively

YouTube does offer tools to help. They're just...buried in the fine print.

You've got:

• Content exclusions – Think of this as your first line of defense. You can steer clear of the dark stuff: violence, adult themes, sensationalism, and more. But don't just tick the obvious boxes—go deeper.
• Placement filters help you block specific channels or creators before your ad rolls. It's like building a no-fly list for your brand. Use it proactively, not reactively.
• Inventory types – YouTube offers different "risk zones," from play-it-safe options with tight content controls to risk-it-for-reach settings that go wide, fast, and sometimes dangerously loose. Know where you stand before you hit publish.

But here's the thing—these tools are only as valuable as the hands that set them up. If you let the algorithm do all the work, you're gambling with your reputation.

Pro tip: Use a media team that understands the real levers—not just the dashboard.

And if you're working with a partner like Filament, who gets the nuance of placement strategy and brand safety on Youtube campaigns, you're already in smarter territory.

Context > Behavior. Every Time.

Most digital ads chase behavior. They follow users like digital shadows.

But if someone watches a video about space exploration and then dives into a rabbit hole of climate denial, your ad might trail along for the ride.

That's the problem.

Instead of chasing people, focus on context.

Place your ads where the content itself aligns with your values. Contextual targeting lets you appear next to high-quality, on-topic videos—not just whoever your cookie trail tells you to follow.

It's like choosing the venue for your speech, not just the audience. Smart, right?

Audit Where Your Ads Show Up

Want a reality check? Download your placement report from Google Ads or DV360. You might be surprised where your ads are running.

Some of it will be fine. Some of it—well, let's say you'll want to start blocklisting.

Make this a habit, not a crisis response. Monthly is good. Weekly is better. Use tools. Use human eyes. Better yet, use both.

Filament, for example, encourages brands to keep transparency at the core of every campaign. That's a mindset, not a metric.

Reward the Right Creators

Here's an idea we don't hear enough: Don't just avoid the bad—support the good.

YouTube is full of creators doing journalism, education, and entertainment. It's not just viral fluff. Not just drama. It's not just algorithms gone wild.

So, instead of just setting up exclusions, ask yourself: Which voices do we want to amplify?

Want to advertise on YouTube with integrity? Put dollars behind creators who are part of the solution.

(And hey, you don't have to do it unthinkingly. Vet their content. Check their track record. See how they engage with their community. Then sponsor away.)

Build a Brand Safety Policy. Yes, You Need One.

Think of it as a playbook for your ad dollars—a compass, not a cage.

Your policy should answer the following:

• What types of content are off-limits?
• What kind of creators are a good fit?
• Who's in charge of reviewing placements?
• What happens if a placement goes sideways?

And if you're unsure how to build one, a content partner like Filament—whose entire ethos revolves around intentional storytelling—can help develop that scaffolding into your creative workflow.

Because let's face it: if you don't define your guardrails, the platform will define them for you.

Tie Your Ad Strategy Back to Your Brand Values

Every ad that runs is an endorsement—intentional or not. In the attention economy, values matter. Consumers expect brands to stand for more than profit, including ethical decisions about where their advertising dollars go.

Filament's emphasis on clarity, creativity, and strategic storytelling suggests a clear understanding of the responsibility that comes with visibility. The same care should apply when placing ads—especially in environments as public and unfiltered as YouTube.

Action Step: Revisit your brand values and mission regularly, and let them guide your media strategy. Alignment between message, medium, and meaning is the true mark of modern advertising leadership.

Final Thoughts: Fight Misinformation with Dollars

Let's stop thinking of misinformation as a problem "someone else" has to fix. Advertisers have power. Not because they say things—but because they fund things.

Want to change what people see? Change what gets monetized.

Be thoughtful. Be proactive. Be the kind of advertiser your audience would respect if they saw where their favorite brands showed up.

And most of all? Show up in the right places—not just the popular ones.

Filament helps brands find their voice—and protect it. From creative strategy to intelligent placement, we build campaigns that connect with real audiences in fundamental ways on the right platforms.

Make your ad dollars count—ethically, creatively, and intentionally.