September 24, 2023

WIRED: The Bizarre Cottage Industry of YouTube Obituary Pirates

WIRED: The Bizarre Cottage Industry of YouTube Obituary Pirates. “A FEW WEEKS ago, a friend of mine found out that a childhood classmate had died unexpectedly. They hadn’t stayed in touch, but he was sad and curious about what had happened, so he did what people do when they hear that someone they know has passed away: Googled her obituary. What he found was odd—so much so that he texted to ask if I’d ever heard of such a thing. Along with pages hosting her official obit, he saw 10 separate YouTube videos of different people casually reciting information about her death.”

Around the Search & Social Media World 0
September 21, 2023

Motherboard: Google Flat-Out Refuses to Bargain With Workers, Prompting YouTube Music Strike

Motherboard: Google Flat-Out Refuses to Bargain With Workers, Prompting YouTube Music Strike. “YouTube Music contract workers went on strike on Wednesday morning because of Google’s refusal to bargain with the union representing the workers. Google, YouTube’s parent company, claims that because the workers are employed through a third-party contractor it has no obligation to meet them at the table, according to an email from a law firm representing Google seen by Motherboard.”

Around the Search & Social Media World 0
September 19, 2023

BBC: YouTube suspends Russell Brand from advert income

BBC: YouTube suspends Russell Brand from advert income. “YouTube has suspended Russell Brand’s channels from making money from adverts for ‘violating’ its ‘creator responsibility policy’. The video platform said it was taking action ‘to protect’ its users. It comes after the Metropolitan Police received a report of an alleged sexual assault in 2003, in the wake of further allegations about the star.”

Tweaks & Updates 0
September 18, 2023

Bloomberg: D Billions Is Creating a YouTube Kids’ Entertainment Empire in Kyrgyzstan

Bloomberg: D Billions Is Creating a YouTube Kids’ Entertainment Empire in Kyrgyzstan. “If you have young children, there’s a good chance they have consumed some of the D Billions videos on YouTube. The videos feature four main characters — Cha-Cha, Boom-Boom, Lya-Lya and Chicky — who dress in primary colors and sing silly songs. One goal of the music is to teach kids words in different languages. Another is to keep them entertained and clicking on more and more videos.”

Around the Search & Social Media World 0
September 16, 2023

Study: YouTube did not actively direct users toward anti-vaccine content during COVID-19 (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Study: YouTube did not actively direct users toward anti-vaccine content during COVID-19. “New research led by data science experts at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and United Nations Global Pulse found that there is no strong evidence that YouTube promoted anti-vaccine sentiment during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

COVID-19 0
September 15, 2023

BBC: AI used to target kids with disinformation

BBC: AI used to target kids with disinformation. “YouTube channels that use AI to make videos containing false ‘scientific’ information are being recommended to children as ‘educational content’. Investigative BBC journalists working in a team that analyses disinformation, information that is deliberately misleading and false, found more than 50 channels in more than 20 languages spreading disinformation disguised as STEM [Science Technology Engineering Maths] content.”

Around the Search & Social Media World 0
September 12, 2023

Dartmouth College: Subscriptions Drive Views of Extremist Videos on YouTube

Dartmouth College: Subscriptions Drive Views of Extremist Videos on YouTube. “According to a new study published in Science Advances, however, exposure to alternative and extremist video channels on YouTube is not driven by recommendations. Instead, most consumption of these channels on the platform can be attributed to a small group of users high in gender and racial resentment and who subscribe to these channels and follow links to their videos. The study authors caution that these findings do not exonerate the platform.”

Research & Opinion 0
September 10, 2023

WIRED: How to Escape the YouTube Algorithm

WIRED: How to Escape the YouTube Algorithm. “We’ve all heard about how the YouTube algorithm can go terribly wrong, mostly in the context of radicalization. But even without that extreme result, the algorithm is a huge time sink—a system designed to keep you watching videos for as long as possible. Some people like this, but if you want more control over how you spend your time, I recommend avoiding the algorithm entirely. And Google just made that easier: Now, if you turn off your YouTube watch history, there will be no recommended videos on the homepage. Here’s how to set that up.”

Useful Stuff 0
September 9, 2023

Poynter: How a YouTube channel about farming transitioned to misinformation about doomsday prepping

Poynter: How a YouTube channel about farming transitioned to misinformation about doomsday prepping. “Nearly every week, [Patrick] Humphrey posts new videos that stoke fear of impending disaster or claim that a catastrophe has already happened, a tactic linked to doomsday prepping that has rapidly increased his audience. As of late August, he had more than 91,000 YouTube subscribers, a significant increase from the 6,000-subscriber milestone he celebrated just one year ago.”

Around the Search & Social Media World 0
September 8, 2023

The Verge: New YouTube face just dropped

The Verge: New YouTube face just dropped. “The faces on YouTube thumbnails might start to look a bit different. A lot of thumbnails feature a person with an open mouth in shock, awe, excitement, or horror because of a belief that the open-mouth face entices people to click on a video. But MrBeast, the individual with the most subscribers on YouTube, said Wednesday that he’s starting to see longer watch times on videos where his thumbnail face has a closed mouth instead of an open one.” Decades from now, students are going to write their doctoral thesis on YouTube Face.

Around the Search & Social Media World 0
September 8, 2023

PA Media: YouTube begins verifying videos by UK doctors to tackle health misinformation

PA Media: YouTube begins verifying videos by UK doctors to tackle health misinformation. “YouTube has launched a verification system for UK-based doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to help Britons dodge medical misinformation online…. YouTube added a new seal of approval to accounts run by licensed doctors, nurses, psychologists, and other health practitioners or organisations who have passed stringent verification checks to fight misinformation.”

Tweaks & Updates 0
September 4, 2023

TorrentFreak: TV Museum Will Die in 48 Hours Unless Sony Retracts YouTube Copyright Strikes

TorrentFreak: TV Museum Will Die in 48 Hours Unless Sony Retracts YouTube Copyright Strikes. “Rick Klein and his team have been preserving TV adverts, forgotten tapes, and decades-old TV programming for years. Now operating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the Museum of Classic Chicago Television has called YouTube home since 2007. However, copyright notices sent on behalf of Sony, protecting TV shows between 40 and 60 years old, could shut down the project in 48 hours.”

Security & Legal Issues 0
September 4, 2023

NBC News: Ruby Franke, Utah family YouTuber, arrested on abuse charges after malnourished child in duct tape is found

NBC News: Ruby Franke, Utah family YouTuber, arrested on abuse charges after malnourished child in duct tape is found. “Ruby Franke, the Utah mom behind the now-defunct family YouTube channel ‘8 Passengers,’ was arrested Wednesday on child abuse charges after authorities found a malnourished minor with open wounds and duct tape on their extremities, officials announced.”

Security & Legal Issues 0
August 30, 2023

Tubefilter: Kai Cenat invokes ‘Rush Hour’ with action-comedy film ‘Global Pursuit’

Tubefilter: Kai Cenat invokes ‘Rush Hour’ with action-comedy film ‘Global Pursuit’. “Global Pursuit features solid production values, dozens of crew members, and cameo appearances — even though it was filmed in just three days, according to its star. Cenat met Global Pursuit co-star Ray H during a trip to Japan, and the pair became fast friends. They soon embarked on a filmmaking project together. The trailer for Global Pursuit hit Cenat’s YouTube channel on August 23, and the full 17-minute film dropped two days later.” I watched this and it was quite good. I found Mr. Cenat more compelling than Chris Tucker.

Uncategorized 0

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