YouTube has vowed to delete misleading videos about Covid-19 vaccines on its platform in an effort to tackle Covid-19 misinformation.

The announcement comes as online platforms battle to curb the spread of hoaxes and false information about the virus and its treatments.

YouTube says it plans to remove content that contradicts expert consensus from health authorities about Covid-19 vaccines.

On Wednesday, the video-sharing platform announced that it has removed more than 200,000 videos with "dangerous or misleading Covid-19 information this year.

It's now explicitly expanding its content policy to include guidelines on misinformation linked to the pandemic.

Earlier this week, Facebook announced that it would ban ads that discourage people from getting vaccinated.

Media analyst Arthur Goldstuck says misinformation has been a serious issue online, long before Covid-19 erupted.

Goldstruck says social media platforms have not shown any genuine will to curb the spread of misinformation in the past.

He claims social media platforms have been preoccupied with driving traffic and advertising revenue, allowing misinformation to thrive online.