In a move aimed at improving user experience, YouTube has said that it will crack down on videos with deceptive titles and thumbnails, in India. This effort aims to tackle what is commonly referred to as clickbait — a longstanding frustration for viewers who often click on videos only to find that the content doesn’t match the expectations set by the headline.

What are clickbait titles and thumbnails?

Clickbait titles and thumbnails are designed to entice viewers into clicking on a video by promising something sensational or intriguing, often without delivering on that promise. These types of videos exploit curiosity and can mislead people into watching content that does not meet their expectations.

What did YouTube say about the new policy?

In a blog post, YouTube announced its intention to strengthen efforts against egregious clickbait. The company outlined plans to increase enforcement against videos where the title or thumbnail misleads viewers about the video’s content. This crackdown is particularly focused on videos covering sensitive topics like breaking news or current events, ensuring that viewers aren’t misled about the content they are about to watch. “You’ll start to see us slowly rolling this out in India over the coming months,” YouTube said in its blog post.

What is egregious clickbait?

Egregious clickbait refers to instances where the title or thumbnail of a video makes false or exaggerated promises that are not fulfilled by the video itself. This is particularly problematic when such tactics are used in videos related to current events or breaking news, as viewers may be seeking accurate and timely information. In these cases, misleading clickbait can leave viewers feeling deceived or frustrated.

What are some examples of egregious clickbait?

A video titled “The President Resigned!” where the content has no mention of the president’s resignation. A thumbnail claiming “Top Political News” that leads to a video with no political coverage at all.

YouTube’s focus will initially be on removing new such video uploads, with enforcement gradually ramping up over time.

Why is YouTube making this change?

This move comes as part of YouTube’s broader efforts to improve the trustworthiness of its platform, especially when it comes to news-related content. As YouTube highlighted, misleading can be particularly harmful when users turn to the platform for important updates or reliable information. By addressing this issue, YouTube aims to create a balance between allowing creative freedom and maintaining transparency and accountability from content creators.

How prevalent is clickbait across social media platforms?

A research paper published in the journal ScienceDirect in 2023 highlighted the widespread use of clickbait across social media platforms, with YouTube standing out due to the significant financial incentive to use such tactics. The study found that nearly 50% of content from mainstream broadcast media is driven by clickbait.

How will YouTube crack down on clickbait?

YouTube has yet to provide detailed information about how it will define breaking news or current events within the context of this new policy. It remains unclear whether the company will focus exclusively on political or governmental events, or whether other subjects, such as sports, will also be included. The company has not outlined the specific methods it will use to detect clickbait, especially in terms of distinguishing between misleading titles or thumbnails and the actual content of the video.

What’s next for creators?

For creators in India, this policy shift serves as a reminder to focus on authenticity and relevance in their content. While some creators may face challenges as they adapt to these new enforcement measures, there is also an opportunity to build credibility and establish a loyal audience by creating honest, engaging content.

Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In today’s digital landscape, technology has revolutionised the way we connect, share, and discover. A remarkable story from across the Indian-Pakistani border illustrates the profound impact of social media and online platforms.

Hamida Banu was tricked into going to Pakistan 22 years back where she said she was “living like a corpse” as she was unable to reach out to her family back in India.

She was approached by a recruitment agent in 2022 who offered to arrange her a job in Dubai. In return, the agent asked her to pay 20,000 rupees. However, instead of Dubai, she was brought to Hyderabad, a city in Pakistan. She was detained in a house for three months.

“I was deceitfully taken to Pakistan by promising Dubai. I tolerated [the separation] for 23 years,” she told journalists.

Banu married a street vendor in Karachi who died during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In her 2022 video interview she recalled the details and her story made headlines in July, the same year when an Indian journalist Khalfan Shaikh watched the Youtube interview carried by Waliullah Maroof, a Pakistani social media activist. Shaikh subsequently shared the video on his platform.

Back in India, Banu’s grandson saw the video and informed the family. Later on Shaikh and Maroof arranged a call between Banu and her family in India.

“How are you? Did you recognise me? Where were you all these years?” Yasmin, her daughter was seen asking her on the video call.

“Don’t ask me where I was, and how I have been. I missed you all so much. I didn’t stay here willingly, I had no other choice,” Banu replied.

After Banu reached India on Monday, she was happy to be back with her children and siblings, but she did not predict that a two year old video would be fundamental in bringing her back home two years later.

“My video was shared two years ago. I was not sure if I would reach India. But the Indian embassy called me one year ago, saying you can go back. I have brothers, sisters, children there [in India], but I don’t want to be a burden on anyone”, she said.

India and Pakistan share a long history of conflict and extensive checks on her identity were conducted before her Indian nationality was confirmed in October.
 

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was awarded YouTube’s prestigious ‘Golden Button’ Award on Wednesday, acknowledging the popularity of his content on the online video-sharing platform. The award was handed over to Mr Gadkari by the Regional Director of YouTube at Google Asia Pacific, Ajay Vidyasagar.

Expressing his gratitude, the minister of road transport and highways said that the award is a symbol of “people’s trust and support” towards him. He also thanked YouTube for recognising the public’s appreciation through the honour.

“A symbol of people’s trust and support – honored to receive the Golden Button for sharing the journey with you all! Thank you, YouTube!,” Mr Gadkari wrote on X, along with a video of the award ceremony.

A symbol of people’s trust and support – honored to receive the Golden Button for sharing the journey with you all! Thank you, YouTube!#YoutubeGoldenButton@YouTube@YouTubeIndia@ajayvidyasagarpic.twitter.com/Mjaree2Nur

— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) November 6, 2024

Mr Gadkari has over one million subscribers on YouTube and has posted around 4,200 videos.

The videos uploaded on his channel include all the inaugural ceremonies attended by him, details of the new roadways and expressways, as well as speeches that he delivers virtually at several organisations. In 2021, Mr Gadkari uploaded a video about himself titled ‘Things to know about Nitin Gadkari’ – which has been pinned on his channel. The video described himself as a ” visionary leader with an impressive track record”.

Google-owned YouTube said in a latest update that it has reinstated all channels and most videos that were removed due to a technical glitch or a bug.

After a bug incorrectly flagged some channels for spam and removed them, YouTube began working on the fix.

“Happy to report that all channels and most videos incorrectly removed have been reinstated and subscriptions are restored (we’re still working on the last few, bear with us),” YouTube said in a post on X social media platform early on Sunday.

Happy to report that all channels and most videos incorrectly removed have been reinstated and subscriptions are restored (we’re still working on the last few, bear with us!!). We know this caused some disruption, and we so appreciate your patience while we sort this out https://t.co/8HbjnhJC4T

— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) October 4, 2024

“We know this caused some disruption, and we so appreciate your patience while we sort this out,” the company added.

The Google-owned company earlier said that their teams were “still working on reinstating the incorrectly removed channels and access to subscriptions”.

“We’re sorry for the trouble! Some content like playlists may be delayed, but it’s all coming back. Thanks for your patience while we work on this,” the company had mentioned in a post on X.

The YouTube channels were incorrectly removed for “Spam and Deceptive Practices.” That included access to all subscriptions (YouTube TV, YouTube Premium, YouTube Music).

The company also mentioned that some YouTube creators might have some content, like playlists, missing. But those will also be restored soon, the company added.

The original notice and subsequent updates on the support page have been addressed to “Content Creators”.

Although, some non-content creators have been unable to access their YouTube account, watch YouTube videos, or listen to YouTube Music too.

According to reports, with some paid subscriptions, like YouTube Premium, not available, saved content cannot be viewed including playlists.

YouTube, however, did not confirm how many users were affected by the technical glitch.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Hyderabad::

A YouTuber and Instagrammer tossing cash  into the air in the middle of a road has been widely distributed, drawing massive outrage. The video from Hyderabad’s Kukatpally area shows the young man standing amid moving traffic. Then he tosses handfuls of notes in the air.

The traffic comes to a standstill as people get off bikes and auto-rickshaws and scramble to collect the money. The rush for the cash caused massive disruption of traffic and posed a serious risk of accidents. In one video he is seen throwing away cash while riding pillion on a two-wheeler.

The stunt, apparently  performed to gain traction on social media, has been condemned by many on social media. People have called for strict action against the content creator, who has been identified as Power Harsha alias Mahadev , known online as “its_me_power,”.

At the end of the video, the YouTuber expressed his intentions to continue such stunts. He even encouraged viewers to join his Telegram channel, where he promised rewards to those who could accurately guess the amount of money he would throw in future videos.

“All that you need to do is to join my telegram channel. Link is in my bio. Many of you know that I have earned a lot of money. You can earn too. Meet me on Telegram channel,” he is heard saying.

The Cyberabad Police are yet to take action about the incident.
While throwing away money is not illegal, the chaos it may cause comes under disturbing of peace. 

New Delhi:

YouTube Shorts, a 60-second video format which made its global debut in India in 2020, has surpassed a trillion views, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced on Wednesday as he highlighted the global impact of Indian content creators.

Mohan, who was speaking at the YouTube Brandcast 2024 event here, said YouTube has become a platform that enables people to tell their stories.

“Indian creators are making videos inspired by local trends that go on to define global culture. YouTube is number one in reach and watch time in India. And we just passed a huge milestone. Shorts, which we first launched in India, now have trillions of views here,” he said.

YouTube is the most streamed service on Connected TVs (cTV) in India with viewership growing 4x in the last three years, he added.

“These creators and artists have business strategies, writers’ rooms, and production teams. They’re creating programs that people love to watch. And along the way, they’re redefining entertainment, news, and education. And they’re driving growth on YouTube. YouTube is the most watched streaming service on cTVs here,” Mohan further said.

YouTube unveiled a range of new ad formats for cTV and Shorts, in an effort to enhance engagement and augment results for brands.

It introduced interactive stickers and gestures, and animated image ads for YouTube shorts.

It also launched Pause Ads and Branded QR codes for cTV.

While Pause Ads enable non-intrusive viewer engagement during content pauses on the big screen, Branded QR codes extend reach beyond YouTube to premium broadcasters on OTTs via DV360, YouTube said.

“These new ad formats will enable brands to harness the influence, cultural impact and interactive potential of Shorts and Connected TV, while catering to the evolving needs of advertisers,” a company statement said.

“YouTube is where India comes to connect, be entertained, and be inspired, regardless of whether it’s a Connected TV screen or a mobile one. TV viewing in India has undergone a fundamental shift. We’re committed to leading this change by providing the best Connected TV experience and creating ad formats that seamlessly connect marketers with their audiences, on any screen and any format,” Shekar Khosla, Vice President, Marketing, Google India, said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Maharashtra’s cyber police have registered a case after popular YouTuber Dhruv Rathee’s spoof account on X posted an alleged fake message about Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s daughter, a senior official said on Saturday.

According to the state cyber department, the account with the handle @dhruvrahtee had claimed on X that Birla’s daughter had cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam without appearing for it.

The X bio of the account reads, “This is the fan and parody account and not affiliated with the original account of @dhruv_rathee. Not impersonating anyone. This account is Parody.”

Acting on a complaint by a relative of Birla, police booked the YouTuber under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections for defamation, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, and statement leading to mischief, as well as the IT Act, the official said.

When pointed out that the alleged fake message was posted by a parody account and not the one belonging to Mr Rathee, the official said, “We are investigating the matter.”

The parody account on Saturday posted another tweet saying, “As directed by @MahaCyber1, I have deleted all my posts and comments on Anjali Birla, I will like to apologize as I was unaware about the facts and copied someone else’ tweets and shared it.”

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, has now become the most subscribed YouTuber. His channel has surpassed the music company T-Series on the video-sharing platform. 

The American YouTuber announced his news on Sunday on X (formerly Twitter). In his post, MrBeast said that he has “avenged” Swedish YouTuber PewDiePie. He has also shared a picture that showed the latest subscription figures. 

MrBeast’s YouTube channel has 267 million subscribers. Whereas, T Series has 266 million followers.

“After 6 years we have finally avenged Pewdiepie,” the note attached to the post read. For those who don’t know, MrBeast, last year, extended his support to his fellow YouTuber and said, “I’m doing this for Pewdiepie.”

After 6 years we have finally avenged Pewdiepie ???? pic.twitter.com/V1znbyqw27

— MrBeast (@MrBeast) June 2, 2024

Tesla chief Elon Musk was amongst the first ones to congratulate MrBeast. He  wrote, “Wow, congrats!”

Wow, congrats!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 2, 2024

A user said, “I’m literally shaking and crying right now I can’t believe we finally did it.”

I’m literally shaking and crying right now I can’t believe we finally did it

— greg (@greg16676935420) June 2, 2024

Some said that the text target should be 1 billion.

Next up 1 billion subs

— Enderman (@EndermanonX) June 2, 2024

MrBeast challenged T Series

Last month, MrBeast also challenged the Chief Executive Officer of T-Series, to a boxing match. It happened at a time when T-Series was the most subscribed YouTube channel and MrBeast was inching closer to the music label. 

Sharing the picture of the remaining subscriber count on X, the 26-year-old wrote, “I challenge the CEO of T-Series to a boxing match.” For context, Bhushan Kumar is the Chairman and Managing Director of the music label. The name of the company’s CEO is not mentioned on its official website.

I challenge the CEO of T-Series to a boxing match pic.twitter.com/zanhy2zl8E

— MrBeast (@MrBeast) May 16, 2024

PewDiePie and T-Series war

Swedish YouTube star PewDiePie, whose name is Felix Kjellberg, was the highest-earning YouTuber in the world. He grabbed a lot of attention for his video game commentaries. At one point, he had surpassed T-Series to become the most subscribed. 

Things took an ugly turn, in 2017, after Disney decided to cut ties with PewDiePie. The company found out that some of his videos contained Nazi references.

In 2020, PewDiePie announced that he won’t be posting content on YouTube. At that time, he had 102 million subscribers.

New Delhi:

YouTube removed over 2.25 million videos in India between October and December 2023 for the violation of its community guidelines, with the country topping the list of video takedowns ahead of nations like the US and Russia.

Singapore with 1,243,871 video takedowns ranked second on that list and the United States (788,354) was placed third, according to YouTube’s data on video removals by the country/region of upload.

Indonesia ranked fourth (770,157), while for Russia the number of video takedowns stood at 516,629, as per YouTube’s Community Guidelines Enforcement report that provides global data on the flags YouTube receives and how the Google-owned platform enforces policies.

Globally, during the period (Q4 2023) YouTube removed over 9 million videos for falling foul of its community norms. More than 96 percent of these videos were first flagged by machines rather than humans.

The videos were removed for violating community norms on parameters like harmful or dangerous content, child safety, violent or graphic content, nudity and sexual content, misinformation and others.

The latest report showed that between October and December 2023, over 2.25 million videos (2,254,902) were removed in India for violating YouTube’s community guidelines. India topped the list of 30 countries in video removals.

Globally, 20.5 million (20,592,341) channels were removed by YouTube for violating its community guidelines during the quarter ended in December 2023.

The report explained that when a channel is terminated, all of its videos are removed. The number of such videos removed during this time period due to a channel-level termination stood at 95.5 million (95,534,236).

“A YouTube channel is terminated if it accrues three community guidelines strikes in 90 days, has a single case of severe abuse (such as predatory behaviour), or is determined to be wholly dedicated to violating our guidelines (as is often the case with spam accounts),” YouTube said.

The Google-owned video streaming platform said it works hard to maintain a safe and vibrant community.

“We have Community Guidelines that set the rules of the road for what we don’t allow on YouTube,” it said.

For instance, it does not allow pornography, incitement to violence, harassment, or hate speech. YouTube said it relies on a combination of people and technology to flag inappropriate content and enforce these guidelines. Flags can come from automated flagging systems, from members of the Priority Flagger program, or from users in the broader YouTube community

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)