News New internet apocalypse? Youtube and COPPA (1 Viewer)

[blueberries]

I'm writing this from my understanding of the situation, which might not be 100% correct, but at least should give idea what's happening with this xd

link to feedback to US goverment (you can write anonymously as well): Regulations.gov

So youtube and it's channels have gotten into big beef with USA's FTC's Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The protection act prohibits collecting privacy information from children and youtube whose advertisements are based to your location and other information has not complient this which led them to be fined 170 million dollars.

However COPPA didn't stop there cause now there is question on how to this will be prevented in the future. And they have been turning to channels and creators. Now, starting from January 2020 every channel has to flag their content either kids content or non-kids content. If you flag yours as kids content you will get non-targeted ads in your video which drops it's revenue up to 90% so not sth lot of youtubers want to do. However if your content appeals to children and you tagged it as non-kids content then you will face up to 24k fine, per video.

What appeals to children is phrased quite vaguely in the COPPA and FTC decides it. For example youtube has said that this covers kids’ characters, themes, toys, or games. However also animation is said to be sth that appeals to kids in the COPPA. So this might target especially animation and gaming channels, and ofc anything to do with toys or children content. Now those who make material that targets kids are screwed anyway no way around it, the ad revenue loss wont be sustainable to most channels. But the question is how many non-kids channel will get sued for this and how strict the COPPA will be cause for many youtubers it's quite hard to figure out what FTC thinks is targeted to kids and what not. For many youtubers this might mean to going towards more adult-oriented material in terms of animation and games just to be safe so there might be lot less minecraft etc. on youtube going on forward. So this is sth that will affect audiences as well not only creators.

Youtube's video on this



EDIT:
For those interested in COPPA more, I found this good video on it from youtuber who is also lawyer:

 

[DrowningFishy]

YEAH this is what happens when parents don't supervise their kids and/or know what ad block is about. But TBH with how may kids started watching youtube they (youtube) should have made a kid friendly version of youtube BEFORE sheet hit the fan. Youtube is already going to ridiculous measures to censor youtube content. Got a kid in your video, chances are your comment section will disallow comments. Good luck fighting youtube to get it back. Abbreviate combat power and your account and videos might be marked as child ----.... ...

Swear to many times and you're demonetized.

Also if you read the new terms and services if you don't make youtube money they can take down your videos. This of course does not really apply to established youtubers because - hello - lynch mob. But to start a youtube channel will be much harder now.

I miss the early days of lawless youtube.

OH and FYI youtube started this new terms and services but they already forced out so many of their kid content creators so I am wondering how many are going to be left to take up the mantel of kid friendly.

EDIT: If you remember the mean kitty song, the youtuber had a separate account for seriously kids videos. I mean seriously can't find any flaw kid friendly. He's now been pretty much forced off youtube. He was basically one of the first professional youtubers.

 

[arieam]

i hate that youtube works in vagueness. they should've made a version of youtube for 13 and under years ago. they should also take out ads altogether for the kids version. and they shouldn't make the only option for kids and not for kids. they should make a category for 13 and under, all ages, and mature. and then designate their advertisements between all ages and mature.

i also don't buy creators saying parents should be parents. it's not that easy. these platforms already monitor everything to make sure normal people don't see the most vile shit that people upload onto youtube/facebook/instagram every second of every day. and we don't get annoyed at that. and we don't say "deal with it" so why is it that we have to put the onus on just parents. youtube has a responsibility too imo. they just suck at doing anything responsible.

 

[blueberries]

YEAH this is what happens when parents don't supervise their kids and/or know what ad block is about. But TBH with how may kids started watching youtube they (youtube) should have made a kid friendly version of youtube BEFORE sheet hit the fan. Youtube is already going to ridiculous measures to censor youtube content. Got a kid in your video, chances are your comment section will disallow comments. Good luck fighting youtube to get it back. Abbreviate combat power and your account and videos might be marked as child ----.... ...

Swear to many times and you're demonetized.

Also if you read the new terms and services if you don't make youtube money they can take down your videos. This of course does not really apply to established youtubers because - hello - lynch mob. But to start a youtube channel will be much harder now.

I miss the early days of lawless youtube.

OH and FYI youtube started this new terms and services but they already forced out so many of their kid content creators so I am wondering how many are going to be left to take up the mantel of kid friendly.

EDIT: If you remember the mean kitty song, the youtuber had a separate account for seriously kids videos. I mean seriously can't find any flaw kid friendly. He's now been pretty much forced off youtube.

They actually have Youtube KIDS already, but that wasn't enough to COPPA cause kids watch non-kids version too. But this just seems like FTC's way to bully youtube cause how it's their fault parents are letting kids to watch and how can they know if kid is watching or adult. Youtube even has age limit of 13 years (to register a account), so why is FTC only on youtube's ass and not every social medias that has targeted ads. Whole thing just feels stupid and makes me question how it can even be legal to do this.

 

[blueberries]

i hate that youtube works in vagueness. they should've made a version of youtube for 13 and under years ago. they should also take out ads altogether for the kids version. and they shouldn't make the only option for kids and not for kids. they should make a category for 13 and under, all ages, and mature. and then designate their advertisements between all ages and mature.

i also don't buy creators saying parents should be parents. it's not that easy. these platforms already monitor everything to make sure normal people don't see the most vile shit that people upload onto youtube/facebook/instagram every second of every day. and we don't get annoyed at that. and we don't say "deal with it" so why is it that we have to put the onus on just parents. youtube has a responsibility too imo. they just suck at doing anything responsible.

Youtube actually has Youtube KIDS already and you have to be over 13 to have account on actual youtube. But that wasn't enough for FTC.

I actually don't think youtube should monitor any more than they do cause there is already huge issues on how strict the algorithms are already. Youtube does a lot to make channels more ad-friendly, but this means that you cannot talk about mental health, have lgbt+ content, talk about history or news, curse or even bleep out curses.. it's rly hard for many creators to make content anymore and this will be just another nail in that coffin.

 

[DrowningFishy]

They actually have Youtube KIDS already, but that wasn't enough to COPPA cause kids watch non-kids version too. But this just seems like FTC's way to bully youtube cause how it's their fault parents are letting kids to watch and how can they know if kid is watching or adult. Youtube even has age limit of 13 years (to register a account), so why is FTC only on youtube's ass and not every social medias that has targeted ads. Whole thing just feels stupid and makes me question how it can even be legal to do this.

Well youtube has a reason to push youtube red more. Youtube red or go home for their viewer audience soon.

Fun Fact: NewGrounds (pre-youtube) is still around.

 

[arieam]

Youtube actually has Youtube KIDS already and you have to be over 13 to have account on actual youtube. But that wasn't enough for FTC.

I actually don't think youtube should monitor any more than they do cause there is already huge issues on how strict the algorithms are already. Youtube does a lot to make channels more ad-friendly, but this means that you cannot talk about mental health, have lgbt+ content, talk about history or news, curse or even bleep out curses.. it's rly hard for many creators to make content anymore and this will be just another nail in that coffin.

i think the way youtube filters through content is terrible and it could be better. but that's only for the videos that aren't for kids anyway. i just don't think coppa is going to make that much of a difference. just mark your videos as not for kids. and they should take it a step further and be like kid channels on tv and make it so kid content gets no ads.

 

[DrowningFishy]

i think the way youtube filters through content is terrible and it could be better. but that's only for the videos that aren't for kids anyway. i just don't think coppa is going to make that much of a difference. just mark your videos as not for kids. and they should take it a step further and be like kid channels on tv and make it so kid content gets no ads.

The videos with cussing are the best videos for ads not to be demonetized. Safer not to have any ads for kids and risk it. And this whole algorithm thing just needs to be taken to the back 4o and put out of its misory

 

[blueberries]

i think the way youtube filters through content is terrible and it could be better. but that's only for the videos that aren't for kids anyway. i just don't think coppa is going to make that much of a difference. just mark your videos as not for kids. and they should take it a step further and be like kid channels on tv and make it so kid content gets no ads.

I guess it depends on how strict it will be in practise. Tumblr was pretty much killed by the nsfw-ban and algorithm that tagged everything nsfw that wasn't even close didn't help it. There has been lot of harsh changes in youtube, but it and creators have adapted so it's possible this won't change too much in the end, at least for non kids content.

 

[yeji]

honestly with article 13 and now this: I don‘t really know how many more changes could happen.

 

[Abeamus]

At this point I think YouTube should just allow the creator to show what kind of ads you want on your content and you can have a general way of doing it if you're a consistent channel or do it per video if you're a variety channel and have the fine in place for people who choose inappropriate ads.

 

[RainbowDevil]

Thank god I'm not a content creator, youtube just keeps doing sht that damages how these people get to live...
And like it should be parents that look over what children look at not content creators...

 

[jasque]

So basically nobody can earn money with youtube anymore, since content not for kids wasn't viable already.

 

[blueberries]

So basically nobody can earn money with youtube anymore, since content not for kids wasn't viable already.

Basically if ur content is not family-friendly it gets demonetized and if it appeals to children you can get fined. So you have to do family friendly content that doesn't appeal to children

 

[RandAlThor]

Thank god I'm not a content creator, youtube just keeps doing sht that damages how these people get to live...
And like it should be parents that look over what children look at not content creators...

Parents cant kids are too tech savy.
They get around the school firewalls ect no worries.

At the end of the day the FTC and governments are determined to own control of the internet like they do the airwaves.
They played around and took too long and now its going to be draconian.

 

[Panda]

I have said this a few times already, but... YouTube does not raise kids, Parents do. When tf will the govt realize this?

 

[RainbowDevil]

Parents cant kids are too tech savy.
They get around the school firewalls ect no worries.

At the end of the day the FTC and governments are determined to own control of the internet like they do the airwaves.
They played around and took too long and now its going to be draconian.

True but who is giving them that tech... and yes people will always go over restrictions just like pirating and stuff but in any case a parent should raise their child as Panda mentioned, parents educate and raise kids not youtube or the internet even at this day and age.

But yes the governments really do do everything to have absolute control... it will backfire eventually, question is how... It's slowly getting out of hand and people are gonna protest it.

 

[RandAlThor]

True but who is giving them that tech... and yes people will always go over restrictions just like pirating and stuff but in any case a parent should raise their child as Panda mentioned, parents educate and raise kids not youtube or the internet even at this day and age.

But yes the governments really do do everything to have absolute control... it will backfire eventually, question is how... It's slowly getting out of hand and people are gonna protest it.

Parents or a good chunk of them are too self absorbed to do much of all. They just want the kids baby sat; School, tv, phone , computer ect they do not care as long as they do not have to do it.

 

[Ashla_K]

YEAH this is what happens when parents don't supervise their kids and/or know what ad block is about.

Exactly my thoughts. I'm fed up with all this dinosaur made regulations for parents who don't want to pay attention to their children.
I just watched a video from one of my favorite youtubers about this COPPA law and is honestly ridiculous. Is clear that whoever wrote the project doesn't know shit about social media or popular culture in general.

 

[Abeamus]

I have said this a few times already, but... YouTube does not raise kids, Parents do. When tf will the govt realize this?

The government is probably more interested in this for getting rid of YouTube as it is one of televisions biggest competitors, this isn't exactly the first time they've gone for YouTube after all but this one could be the one that does the damage they are looking for.