As a community, we have come to count on each other to be entertained, challenged, and moved by what we watch and share on YouTube. We've been thinking a lot lately about how to make the collective YouTube experience even better, particularly on our most visited pages. Our goal is to help ensure that you're viewing content that's relevant to you, and not inadvertently coming across content that isn't. Here are a few things we came up with:
* Stricter standard for mature content - While videos featuring pornographic images or sex acts are always removed from the site when they're flagged, we're tightening the standard for what is considered "sexually suggestive." Videos with sexually suggestive (but not prohibited) content will be age-restricted, which means they'll be available only to viewers who are 18 or older. To learn more about what constitutes "sexually suggestive" content, click here.
* Demotion of sexually suggestive content and profanity - Videos that are considered sexually suggestive, or that contain profanity, will be algorithmically demoted on our 'Most Viewed,' 'Top Favorited,' and other browse pages. The classification of these types of videos is based on a number of factors, including video content and descriptions. In testing, we've found that out of the thousands of videos on these pages, only several each day are automatically demoted for being too graphic or explicit. However, those videos are often the ones which end up being repeatedly flagged by the community as being inappropriate.
* Improved thumbnails - To make sure your thumbnail represents your video, your choices will now be selected algorithmically. You'll still have three thumbnails to choose from, but they will no longer be auto-generated from the 25/50/75 points in the video index.
* More accurate video information - Our Community Guidelines have always prohibited folks from attempting to game view counts by entering misleading information in video descriptions, tags, titles, and other metadata. We remain serious about enforcing these rules. Remember, violations of these guidelines could result in removal of your video and repeated violations will lead to termination of your account.
The preservation and improvement of the YouTube experience is a responsibility we share. Let's work together to ensure that the YouTube community continues to thrive as a positive place for all of us.
Positive my ass, basically they just neutered Youtube.
Farewell you tube may you rest in piece.
launchpad25
Interesting. I'm guessing that certain parents who don't take the time to actually raise their kids want Youtube to censor the content from their kids. In other words, Youtube will become as homogenized as network tv.
Black Flag NC
Once again censorship takes the place of self-responsibilty and good parenting. Isn't freedom scary?
launchpad25
Black Flag NC wrote:
Once again censorship takes the place of self-responsibilty and good parenting. Isn't freedom scary?
Indeed. 'Why go out of your way to raise your kids when we the company can do it for you?'
John Gibson
TV is guilty of this, too. Has been for many, many years.
Splodge
The difference is that TV, for the most part, isn't user-generated content.
YouTube is built on the idea of community and users-creating their own content.
Censoring that is a much more serious offence.
Also, a lot of TV is paid for by the public (TV licenses etc.) so viewers do have the right to complain if something offends them and request censorship. I think it has gone too far in the case of TV but it makes sense. I know I personally wouldn't feel comfortable paying for a service that had something offensive on it (I'm fairly open, though so it would take something very serious to upset me - child porn or something on that level).
But nobody in the public is directly paying for YouTube, so I don't think censorship is needed. If someone is offended they don't have the right to complain. They should just avoid the site.
Erikjust
Its worth noticing that YouTube is owned by Google, so if we really must put the blame on someone its them.
But yes i agree whit you, whit TV you only have that amount of channels that interest you, and if something offends you there well you pretty much donīt have much of an alternative i what else you want to watch (okay maybe i am putting it a little black and whit here).
Whit YouTube its different YOU search for what ever you want be it a guy blurting out religious stupidity or creationism stupidity or maybe you want a guy spewing out scientific reasoning or heck you might want something third all altogether different.
The point is YOU have the choice if you donīt want to see it there is about a quarter of a billion other things out there you can watch instead.
But introducing Censorship you are, as Thunderfoot pointed out, giving Youtube the kiss of death.