YouTube finally addresses Elsagate child videos, adpocalypse

YouTube has finally addressed its child content and monetisation problems after years of reportedly ignoring its creators and their concerns.

In a post to YouTube’s creator blog, CEO Susan Wojcicki admitted that the company has a problem, and that it needed to be “more accurate” with the content it financially endorses.

The announcement comes years after creators say they sounded the alarm for what is now dubbed “Elsagate“, a scandal that involves disturbing videos targeted at children.

YouTube has seemingly only responded after a New York Times article led advertisers to divest from the company.

CEO Susan Wocjicki says that YouTube needs to be ‘more accurate’ regarding content it financially endorses

“Some bad actors are exploiting our openness to mislead, manipulate, harass or even harm,” Wojcicki wrote. “These actions harm our community by undermining trust in our platform and hurting the revenue that helps creators like you thrive.”

But many creators have not been thriving. For months, those who make a living on the platform have decried the unfair demontisation of their videos thanks to what’s been dubbed the “adpocalypse”, which saw ads pulled earlier this year.

Wojcicki addressed this too.

“We’ve heard loud and clear from creators that we have to be more accurate when it comes to reviewing content, so we don’t demonetise videos (apply a ‘yellow icon’) by mistake,” she wrote.

The solution? Human reviewers, transparency, and stricter monetisation critera, YouTube says

YouTube’s solution? More human reviewers, “greater transparency”, and a “new approach to advertising” on the platform. The company will be enforcing stricter criteria for monetisation, which it says will help “vetted creators see more stability around their revenue”.

Creators are nonplussed with the announcement, though, criticising YouTube for taking too long to focus on a serious issue.

Susan, let’s be real. Creators have been complaining about the non kids & pedo channels pretending to be kids channels for years and the media for months, you all at youtube were fully aware of the issue but only acted when advertisers left.

— BYRD (@BYRDNews1) December 5, 2017

I beg of you Susan, actually listen to your creators. Im banging my head against a wall daily wondering why in the heck your team is making the choices they’re making. You have a POWERFUL force at your disposal that is US. HIRE US.

— Matthias (@Matthiasiam) December 5, 2017

More actual communication with creators and less canned responses which leave people confused would be a great start, thanks Susan!

— Ti Butler 👩‍🎤 (@tibutler) December 5, 2017

Feature image: Screenshot, The Outer Light via YouTube