The Dark Side of YouTube: How It’s Impacting Our Society
The Dark Side of YouTube: How It’s Impacting Our Society
YouTube has become a staple in our daily lives, with people visiting the platform for various reasons. Some come to watch ASMR videos and cat compilations, while others follow vloggers and stay updated with the latest trends. Entire communities are formed on YouTube, and many see it as an excellent opportunity to express themselves and find like-minded individuals. However, beneath this seemingly positive surface, a series of scandals have raised questions about whether YouTube does more harm than good.
Algorithms That Listen
YouTube representatives assure their audience that they are continually working on improving their algorithms and systems to actively combat controversial videos. Kevin Allocca, YouTube’s head of culture and trends and author of “Videocracy: How YouTube is Changing the World,” stated in an interview that what happens on YouTube is a direct reflection of our culture as a whole. The homepage suggests videos we might want to watch and recommends new ones based on our preferences. However, the built-in algorithm also considers the popularity of specific videos.
As viewers, we shape the platform ourselves. By watching, we stimulate development and boost the popularity of certain content. This creates a closed system: people watch videos on the same topics repeatedly, channel creators follow trends, and then create similar content hoping that users will click on the links.
Comment Without Consequences
Anyone who has ventured into the comment section under a YouTube video has likely encountered a mix of political debates and offensive remarks. Even under innocent videos, such as a five-year-old girl playing with a puppy, anonymous users might write disturbing comments. These comments are not moderated, leading to a culture of harsh and often irrelevant remarks.
YouTube representatives do not review content before publication, resulting in many channels featuring truly horrifying stunts and challenges. A recent scandal involved blogger Logan Paul, who filmed a vlog in Japan’s “suicide forest.” The video, which was viewed by millions, showed Paul encountering a body and making jokes. Despite the backlash and YouTube blocking the video, Paul gained 80,000 more subscribers. His apology video seemed insincere, driven more by the need to maintain his income from the platform rather than genuine remorse.
Want Popularity? Create Provocation
In late 2017, the channel ToyFreaks sparked controversy with its prank videos featuring a young father and his daughters. The pranks ranged from feeding each other until they vomited to throwing a frog into the shower to scare the girls. Despite the disturbing nature of these videos, millions of subscribers supported and liked them. This phenomenon suggests that given a choice, people might easily opt for strange and provocative content.
Moderators began a thorough review of children’s content on November 16, closing down 50 channels in various languages, including eight Russian-language channels. These channels were found to promote unhealthy food and inappropriate behavior.
Restrictions Won’t Help
Authorities often respond to concerns about harmful content with restrictive laws. However, combating harmful content requires creating useful and interesting videos rather than resorting to fear tactics. Closing down platforms might drive unexpressed creative potential to other outlets, potentially leading to more severe consequences. YouTube representatives are correct in stating that if the community feels their content is becoming harsher, it reflects the darkening of our collective thoughts.
The system places provocative videos in the trending section, drawing people further into a vicious cycle. The more creators like Logan Paul produce vlogs, the more money the platform makes. YouTube is not a charitable organization; it profits from whatever content gains traction.
For more insights on the impact of digital platforms, you can read articles on Heroine.
