YouTube is a video streaming platform which is home to millions of content creators who earn through this popular platform. However, in the race to gain views and subscribers, some creators chose the road of ‘clickbait thumbnails’— which are misleading images or titles that do not align with the video content. After analysing the concerning and rising issue, the company has taken strict measures to address such practices.
YouTube’s action against ‘Clickbait’ thumbnails
What are Clickbait thumbnails?
Clickbait thumbnails use sensational or unrelated visuals and titles to attract viewers. For instance, a video might claim "The President Resigned!" in its thumbnail, but in the content it offers no such information. Such tactics deceive the viewers and harm content integrity on the platform.
YouTube’s plan for misleading content
In a recent blog post, YouTube outlined its commitment to tackling clickbait. The platform will do the following:
- Remove videos with misleading thumbnails, especially those related to breaking news or current events.
- Issue penalties to channels repeatedly violating this policy.
Examples of prohibited thumbnails
Videos with thumbnails suggesting ‘Top Political News’ but failing to deliver relevant news content will be taken down. The platform emphasizes that this isn’t a new policy but rather a stricter enforcement of existing rules.
First warning, then removal of the content
YouTube has clarified that channels will not be banned immediately once the clickbait is spotted. Initially, offending videos will only be removed, which will allow the content creators to adjust their content strategies accordingly.
This move further aims at ensuring viewers enjoy genuine, high-quality content while curbing dishonest practices on the platform.
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