web YouTube Heroes: The Madness Never Stops

[rcollinz13 428]

YouTube has just announced a new feature in an attempt to halt toxic comments and 'negative' videos on their site. A new programme designed to let the users report on other users and remove their videos and or comments. Despite all of the recent controversy regarding the broken flagging system, someone thought this was a great idea. 

 

Let me preface this post with this statement. I am well aware that, as a private company, YouTube is within their rights to make whatever rules they want. Within the realm of legality, nothing there are doing is censorship. However, that does not negate the real consequences this poses on YouTube as a platform for people to share with the world. Additionally, I have a very real fear that this broken system will be taken advantage of by some in an attempt to prevent people from voicing certain opinions on topics. It's no secret that YouTube's content ID system is incredibly broken. It's broken to the point where YouTube removed one of its own videos for objectionable content. It would appear that YouTube is trying to become more like an online television network. They fear that 'negative' content will be unappealing to advertisers. Despite the fact that advertisers gladly put ads on sexy music videos, late night adult shows, news channels with very violent news stories, etc. The YouTube Heroes initiative was just the next step. It's kind of ingenious when you stop to think about it. Why hire hundreds of workers to flag objectionable content if you can get the users to do it for free by offering them 'perks' that are really worth absolutely nothing. As I said, nothing YouTube is doing is censorship, but if they continue down this path it's likely another site will take its place. Then YouTube will by the next MySpace of the internet. 

 

Let me know what you think about this new initiative from YouTube. Am I sounding the panic alarm prematurely? Or is this actually cause for concern. I welcome your thoughtful discussion. Cheers. 

 

 

Edited September 22, 2016 by rcollinz13

[Mouse 302]

Yeah... this totally won't be abused by assholes.

[KatonRyu 1,033]

I think this is just another step in a long line of misinformed decisions that will ultimately only lead to the decay of YouTube as a platform. Already it's overrun by trolls and other assorted idiots, so giving these people the power to mete out 'justice' seems like the best possible way to get everything flagged and removed. I do mean everything, since this mass of writhing opinions isn't going to stand united in all of this.

 

Given enough time, these people will bring down YouTube, but I think that before it comes to that the program will have been scrapped and their perks and privileges revoked. They'll do damage, a lot of it, but YouTube will survive.

[Nightfall Gloam 18,266]

Yeah, YouTube hasn't been a very good website since 2013 it seems. This new feature is just yet another horrible decision by the people that run that website that might cause the inevitable downfall of the once great website. All I really got to say is, I will miss the YouTube we all had back in 2007 when the times were a lot simpler and you could just upload a fun little video without worrying about how many subscribers you'll get, instant copyright takedowns even on videos that do not break the law at all, the website constantly making some useless subtle change that either breaks a feature, hides a feature in a bunch or menus (or worse, links you to another website to change something as simple as your avatar) or features simply being completely removed with useless features taking their place for about a month, or a bunch of other horrible decisions that make me compare YouTube to the likes of Sega or Nickelodeon in terms of business practices. This new feature will surely be so abused by trolls and various vocal minorities hoping to push some agenda.

 

I remember a time when YouTube had almost replaced TV for me as a kid since TV back during 2007-2009 had so little in terms of entertaining television programs, now YouTube seems to want to be almost like a TV channel, and not of the fun, new or interesting kind.