YouTube: Difference between revisions
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YouTube has faced criticism and regulatory scrutiny on multiple fronts. Concerns have been raised about content moderation policies, the platform's role in the spread of misinformation, and its impact on user privacy, particularly in relation to data collection practices. Additionally, YouTube has been under fire for its algorithms, which some argue promote harmful or divisive content to maximize engagement. | YouTube has faced criticism and regulatory scrutiny on multiple fronts. Concerns have been raised about content moderation policies, the platform's role in the spread of misinformation, and its impact on user privacy, particularly in relation to data collection practices. Additionally, YouTube has been under fire for its algorithms, which some argue promote harmful or divisive content to maximize engagement. | ||
==Incidents== | ==Incidents<!-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW4On_gWAvI -->== | ||
===Advertising overload on YouTube=== | ===Advertising overload on YouTube=== | ||
:<i>See also: [[Advertising overload|Advertising Overload]]</i> | :<i>See also: [[Advertising overload|Advertising Overload]]</i> | ||
Advertisements are YouTube's primary source of revenue,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/our-commitments/sharing-revenue/</ref> but because the platform is run by a publicly shared parent company, it is forced to grow its revenue by any means necessary. This has led to advertisements becoming more pervasive on the platform<ref>https://www.33rdsquare.com/why-youtube-has-so-many-ads-and-why-there-will-probably-be-more/</ref> such as an increasing number of spaces for static ads,<!-- No article specifically states this, but whenever I use a device without an adblock, I have been seeing more static ads on the home page and video sidebar. I think it is reasonable to assume they don't mention it because they are distracted by the more annoying video ads - JamesTDG --> longer ad breaks (which some users have documented being longer than the videos they watch<ref>https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/</ref><ref>https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html</ref>), increased ad frequency in videos,<ref>https://www.howtogeek.com/youtube-is-adding-even-more-ads/</ref> and poorer quality ads.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRjGn54O4Zg</ref><ref>https://sherwood.news/business/mobile-game-ads-industry-fake-misleading/</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsKlfN9phAs</ref> Practices are also put into place in order to force non-paying users into seeing these ads as well, such as subscription-gating playing videos in the background.<ref> | Advertisements are YouTube's primary source of revenue,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/our-commitments/sharing-revenue/ How YouTube Works]</ref> but because the platform is run by a publicly shared parent company, it is forced to grow its revenue by any means necessary. This has led to advertisements becoming more pervasive on the platform<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Jordan |date=20 Jan 2024 |title=Why YouTube Has So Many Ads (and Why There Will Probably Be More) |url=https://www.33rdsquare.com/software-app/why-youtube-has-so-many-ads-and-why-there-will-probably-be-more/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=33rd Square}}</ref> such as an increasing number of spaces for static ads,<!-- No article specifically states this, but whenever I use a device without an adblock, I have been seeing more static ads on the home page and video sidebar. I think it is reasonable to assume they don't mention it because they are distracted by the more annoying video ads - JamesTDG --> longer ad breaks (which some users have documented being longer than the videos they watch<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Aamir |date=27 Jan 2025 |title=Frustrated YouTube viewers seek explanation for hour-long unskippable ads (Updated: Clarification) |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Android Authority}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dirscherl |first=Hans-Christian Dirscherl |last2=Lee |first2=Joel |date=28 Jan 2025 |title=Hours-long unskippable ads spotted on YouTube. What’s going on? |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=PCWorld}}</ref>), increased ad frequency in videos,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Arol |date=26 Apr 2024 |title=YouTube is Adding Even More Ads |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/youtube-is-adding-even-more-ads/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=How-To-Geek}}</ref> and poorer quality ads.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=@T3rr0r |date=17 Oct 2021 |title=BAD Mobile Game Ads |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRjGn54O4Zg |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Knoblauch |first=Max |date=14 Jun 2024 |title=Why are mobile game ads so weird and bad? |url=https://sherwood.news/business/mobile-game-ads-industry-fake-misleading/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Sherwood News}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=@Saberspark |date=18 Sep 2021 |title=The DISGUSTING State of Mobile Game Ads (and why YouTube LOVES IT) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsKlfN9phAs |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> Practices are also put into place in order to force non-paying users into seeing these ads as well, such as subscription-gating playing videos in the background.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/premium?ybp=Sg0IBhIJdW5saW1pdGVk4AEB YouTube Premium]</ref> | ||
Furthermore, even if a user pays for YouTube premium, they do not necessarily receive an ad-free experience - they may still see ads within the video they watch, such as sponsored segments.<!-- I need a source for this. Very obvious statement but it's not like the YT marketing materials are going to outright say this. --> YouTube has added a "skip" feature, but it has been reported that this does not work consistently.<ref> | Furthermore, even if a user pays for YouTube premium, they do not necessarily receive an ad-free experience<ref>{{Cite web |title=I have YouTube premium, why am I getting adds. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18ll7y6/i_have_youtube_premium_why_am_i_getting_adds/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> - they may still see ads within the video they watch, such as sponsored segments.<!-- I need a source for this. Very obvious statement but it's not like the YT marketing materials are going to outright say this. --> YouTube has added a "skip" feature, but it has been reported that this does not work consistently.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Anurag |date=22 Aug 2024 |title=YouTube now lets you skip sponsored segments — but you’ll have to pay for it |url=https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/youtube-now-lets-you-skip-sponsored-segments-but-youll-have-to-pay-for-it-2872784/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Dexerto}}</ref> | ||
====Refusal to handle malicious ads==== | ====Refusal to handle malicious ads==== | ||
A common phenomenon on YouTube's advertisements is content that is mature and/or malicious in nature.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B2KdIoRVo8 | A common phenomenon on YouTube's advertisements is content that is mature and/or malicious in nature.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beyond The Internet |date=22 Feb 2025 |title=YouTube Ads are a Disgrace… |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B2KdIoRVo8 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Adamya |date=27 Jan 2025 |title=Explicit ads are plaguing YouTube, and it’s only getting worse |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-explicit-ads-problem-3520285/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Android Authority}}</ref> The content of these advertisements include pornography,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Saberspark |date=Mar 31, 2025 |title=YouTube's Ads Have Hit A New Low...(it's literally p*rn) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW4On_gWAvI |access-date=Apr 6, 2025 |work=YouTube}}</ref><ref name=":8" /> false advertising,<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" /> scams,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jakob_G |date=Dec 12, 2023 |title=YouTube doesn't want to take down scam ads |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18gjiqy/youtube_doesnt_want_to_take_down_scam_ads/ |access-date=Apr 7, 2025 |website=Reddit - r/YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=JerryRigEverything |date=Mar 9, 2023 |title=I CAUGHT THE YOUTUBE SCAMMER - $1000 dollars EVERY DAY?! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iROF9Dd7FXA |access-date=Apr 7, 2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=LoganAH |date=Dec 22, 2023 |title=Why does YouTube run blatant scams as advertisements? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18osjs6/why_does_youtube_run_blatant_scams_as/ |access-date=Apr 7, 2025 |website=Reddit - r/YouTube}}</ref> and far more. Rather than working towards clearing these ads, or acknowledging this advertising content that has been harming consumers on the platform, YouTube moderation has only cut the revenue for these videos that attempt to call out these ads,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Deep Humor |date=24 Feb 2025 |title=Watch This Before YouTube Deletes It. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRpECEQ0-hg |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> which has been known to make said videos be less-showcased.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=@Sealow |date=29 Nov 2017 |title=Extensive evidence of algorithm censorship of demonetised videos |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3H8D2LrLHc |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":1">[https://docs.google.com/document/d/155yNpfR7dGKuN-4rbrvbJLcJkhGa_HqvVuyPK7UEfPo/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.jou9rc5d49jl Relation between a YouTube video’s monetisation status and their algorithm promotion]</ref> | ||
https://docs.google.com/document/d/155yNpfR7dGKuN-4rbrvbJLcJkhGa_HqvVuyPK7UEfPo/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.jou9rc5d49jl</ref> | |||
===Demonetization and censorship<!-- Maybe consider changing the title for this section... --><!-- Potential sources that require further studying before integration https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877050921024467 https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3555209 -->=== | ===Demonetization and censorship<!-- Maybe consider changing the title for this section... --><!-- Potential sources that require further studying before integration https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877050921024467 https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3555209 -->=== | ||
Since at least 2016, YouTube has had an extensive record of censoring content that is demonetized.<ref name=":1" /> Within understandable circumstances, legitimately malicious or offensive videos would be demonetized and should not be shown on the platform, however, how videos are considered to be demonetized has had a harmful impact upon both viewers and content creators. Trans creators on YouTube for example, have experienced unfair censorship via demonetization since 2018.<ref>https://archive.yr.media/journalism/outloud/trans-youtubers-say-they-are-being-censored-and-an-algorithm-may-be-to-blame/</ref> Content creators affected by this unfairly balanced moderation via algorithms<ref>https://bpr.studentorg.berkeley.edu/2018/05/01/adpocalypse-how-youtube-demonetization-imperils-the-future-of-free-speech/</ref> have dubbed these events as "adpocalypses".<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/20/18231561/youtube-child-exploitation-predators-controversy-creators-adpocalypse</ref> | Since at least 2016, YouTube has had an extensive record of censoring content that is demonetized.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" /> Within understandable circumstances, legitimately malicious or offensive videos would be demonetized and should not be shown on the platform, however, how videos are considered to be demonetized has had a harmful impact upon both viewers and content creators. Trans creators on YouTube for example, have experienced unfair censorship via demonetization since 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Disney |first=Malia |date=4 May 2018 |title=Trans YouTubers Say They Are Being Censored. Is It The Algorithm? |url=https://archive.yr.media/journalism/outloud/trans-youtubers-say-they-are-being-censored-and-an-algorithm-may-be-to-blame/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=archive.yr.media}}</ref> Content creators affected by this unfairly balanced moderation via algorithms<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cantz |first=Randy |date=1 May 2018 |title=Adpocalypse: How YouTube Demonetization Imperils the Future of Free Speech |url=https://bpr.studentorg.berkeley.edu/2018/05/01/adpocalypse-how-youtube-demonetization-imperils-the-future-of-free-speech/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Berkeley Political Review}}</ref> have dubbed these events as "adpocalypses".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=20 Feb 2019 |title=YouTubers fear looming ‘adpocalypse’ after child exploitation controversy |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/20/18231561/youtube-child-exploitation-predators-controversy-creators-adpocalypse |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref> | ||
====Irresponsibly automated moderation==== | ====Irresponsibly automated moderation==== | ||
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===Crackdown against ad-blockers=== | ===Crackdown against ad-blockers=== | ||
<!-- Needs citations --> | <!-- Needs citations --> | ||
Related to the incessant usage of ads on the platform and multitudes of harmful and scam ads that have gotten through YouTube's advertising system, consumers have been needing to use ad blockers while on the platform merely to watch their videos. Unfortunately, Google sparked a game of cat and mouse, and has been attempting to integrate a variant of DRM onto YouTube to make consumers watch ads.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2024/06/20/youtubes-ad-blocker-ban-just-got-even-bigger/</ref><ref>https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/11/youtube-tries-to-kill-ad-blockers-in-push-for-ad-dollars-premium-subs/</ref><ref group="Rossmann Video">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMaFH4KzOVg YouTube blocks adblockers; will this be their downfall?]</ref> However, these attempts usually only work for a short period of time before ad blocking tools find new ways to circumvent the advertisements,<ref>https://community.brave.com/t/brave-no-longer-blocking-youtube-ads-as-of-march-27-2024/540032 | Related to the incessant usage of ads on the platform and multitudes of harmful and scam ads that have gotten through YouTube's advertising system, consumers have been needing to use ad blockers while on the platform merely to watch their videos. Unfortunately, Google sparked a game of cat and mouse, and has been attempting to integrate a variant of DRM onto YouTube to make consumers watch ads.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Flaherty |first=Kate |date=20 Jun 2024 |title=YouTube’s Ad Blocker Ban Just Got Even Bigger |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2024/06/20/youtubes-ad-blocker-ban-just-got-even-bigger/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Scharon |date=1 Nov 2023 |title=YouTube’s ad blocker crackdown escalates, aggravating users |url=https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/11/youtube-tries-to-kill-ad-blockers-in-push-for-ad-dollars-premium-subs/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=ArsTechnica}}</ref><ref group="Rossmann Video">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMaFH4KzOVg YouTube blocks adblockers; will this be their downfall?]</ref> However, these attempts usually only work for a short period of time before ad blocking tools find new ways to circumvent the advertisements,<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 May 2024 |title=Brave no longer blocking youtube ads as of March 27, 2024 |url=https://community.brave.com/t/brave-no-longer-blocking-youtube-ads-as-of-march-27-2024/540032 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Brave Community}}</ref><!-- Can someone add a source from ublock? Here's their site and wiki if anyone wants to chip in. | ||
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki | https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki | ||
https://ublockorigin.com/ --> resulting in these actions taking place reflecting the [[wikipedia:Streisand_effect | Streisand effect.]]<ref group="Rossmann Video">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GARcKCaUfI YouTube's adblock war is backfiring in the worst way possible 🤣]</ref> | https://ublockorigin.com/ --> resulting in these actions taking place reflecting the [[wikipedia:Streisand_effect | Streisand effect.]]<ref group="Rossmann Video">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GARcKCaUfI YouTube's adblock war is backfiring in the worst way possible 🤣]</ref> | ||
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====Offline video DRM==== | ====Offline video DRM==== | ||
The YouTube Mobile app allows you to download videos for offline consumption if you have a YouTube Premium subscription.<ref name=":0">https://www.youtube.com/premium </ref> However, the app's DRM prevents you from watching downloaded videos, unless the app has "phoned home" in the last 48 hours.<ref>https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269</ref> This caveat is not clearly disclosed on the main YouTube Premium page, instead requiring the user to navigate support articles to discover this limitation. | The YouTube Mobile app allows you to download videos for offline consumption if you have a YouTube Premium subscription.<ref name=":0">[https://www.youtube.com/premium YouTube Premium] </ref> However, the app's DRM prevents you from watching downloaded videos, unless the app has "phoned home" in the last 48 hours.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch videos offline on mobile in selected countries and regions |url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[Google]]}}</ref> This caveat is not clearly disclosed on the main YouTube Premium page, instead requiring the user to navigate support articles to discover this limitation. | ||
====Universal DRM testing==== | ====Universal DRM testing==== | ||
YouTube on TV is a HTML5 web interface from Google to allow supported devices such as game consoles which do not have a native YouTube app to view content via YouTube. An A/B experiment has begun which protects all video and audio content regardless of bitrate or format via the YouTube on TV platform with DRM.<ref>{{Cite web | YouTube on TV is a HTML5 web interface from Google to allow supported devices such as game consoles which do not have a native YouTube app to view content via YouTube. An A/B experiment has begun which protects all video and audio content regardless of bitrate or format via the YouTube on TV platform with DRM.<ref>{{Cite web |title=[YouTube] DRM on ALL videos with tv (TVHTML5) client #12563 |url=https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/12563 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=GitHub}}</ref> One XBox 360 user reported that the YouTube on TV functionality stopped working as a result of the DRM implementation. A number of content creators license their work uploaded to YouTube via the Creative Commons licenses. The universal implementation of DRM to restrict a users ability to exercise their rights granted by the license is a violation of the aforementioned licenses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=License Versions |url=https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/License_Versions#Application_of_effective_technological_measures_by_users_of_CC-licensed_works_prohibited |website=Creative Commons}}</ref> | ||
===Paywalling standard browser features=== | ===Paywalling standard browser features=== | ||
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YouTube has introduced multiple features that are designed to make the user stay longer on the platform and watch more videos than they intended, thus increasing ad revenue. They come at the cost of making it harder to watch the content the user actually wants to watch. | YouTube has introduced multiple features that are designed to make the user stay longer on the platform and watch more videos than they intended, thus increasing ad revenue. They come at the cost of making it harder to watch the content the user actually wants to watch. | ||
This includes the introduction of a feature called | This includes the introduction of a feature called Autoplay that resumes playback of another video (chosen by the platform) immediately after the current one ends (after a delay of about 8 seconds), in the hope that the user gets hooked and continues to watch. This feature is activated by default (opt-out instead of opt-in).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-04 |title=Autoplay videos - YouTube Help |url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6327615?hl=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401080124/https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6327615?hl=en |archive-date=2025-04-01 |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=YouTube Hep}}</ref> | ||
Another feature like this is the inclusion of irrelevant videos in search results. If the user searches for something and scrolls down the list too far, the likelihood of them finding what they were looking for decreases since results are generally sorted by what the platform deems relevant to the search query. Hence, if the user scrolls down too far, it is likely that they give up and leave the site. Therefore YouTube stared to add random videos out of its recommendation list for the user into the search results, increasing the probability that they see something they will click and watch. This makes it much harder and more inconvenient to find relevant search results since the user has to scroll past all the noise that is designed to distract them. It also means that a video that is actually relevant is less likely to be discovered, especially if it still has low view counts, since unrelated videos are promoted in search in its place. | |||
=== Rampant bots === | |||
For the first few moments of a video being published on the platform, the comments section of the video is swarmed by a legion of bots that aim to scam or garner attention from viewers. Most of these bots employ similar tactics to achieve their goals such as using popular public figures and/or scantly dressed women as their profile pictures and copy-pasting the most liked comments on the video. These bots also spam comments that are often irrelevant to the YouTube channel or the subject matter of the video. Despite repeated requests from creators and communities alike, YouTube still has yet to implement any measures against these bots. Hence YouTubers and their teams have to manually moderate the comments on each individual video. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||