INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
YouTube verification program is getting a massive overhaul, the company announced today, which will likely result in a number of less
prominent creators losing their verification status
Previously, YouTube allowed any channel that reached 100,000 subscribers to request verification
That limit is being removed, with a change to the verification program that rolls out in October
Going forward, YouTube will focus its efforts on verifying channels that have more of a need to prove their authenticity — like those
belonging to a brand, public figure, artist or another creator who might be subject to impersonation, for example.
YouTube says the earlier
verification system was established when the site was smaller, but its ecosystem has since grown and &become more complex.
Instead of
looking at a number of subscribers — a metric than can be gamed by bots — the new system will have more murky requirements
YouTube says it about &prominence,& which it defines in a number of ways.
For starters, YouTube will determine if the channel represents a
&well-known or highly searched for creator, artist, public figure or company.& It will also consider if the channel is widely recognized
outside of YouTube and has a strong online presence, or if it a channel that has a very similar name to many other channels.
We understand
YouTube will use a combination of human curation and algorithmic signals to make these determinations
When asked, the company declined to discuss the specifics, however.
There were several reasons YouTube wanted to change its system, beyond
raising the threshold for verification.
The company had run into a similar problem that Twitter once faced — people mistook the
verification badge as an endorsement
On Twitter, that issue reached a tipping point when it was discovered that Twitter had verified the Charlottesville rally organizer
Twitter stopped verifying accounts shortly afterward
Its system today is still being fixed, but the project has been put on the back burner.
Similarly, YouTube research found that over 30% of
users misunderstood the verification badge meaning, believing the checkmark indicted &endorsement of content,& not &identity.
This is
problematic for YouTube for a number of reasons, but mainly because the company wants to distance itself from the content on its platform
— content that is often racist, vile, false, dangerous, conspiracy-filled and extremist
YouTube wants to be an open site, with all the troubles that entails, but doesn''t want to be held accountable for the terrible things
posted there — like the 14-year-old girl who grew to online fame by posting racist, anti-Muslim, anti-LGBTQ videos, or the high-profile
star who made repeated racist comments, then gets honored by YouTube with special creator rewards.
There were other issues with the prior
system, as well.
Some creators would fake their verification status, for instance
Before the changes, a verified channel would display a checkmark next to its channel name
This could be easily forged by simply adding a checkmark to the end of a channel name.
Plus, the checkmark itself only really worked when
people viewed the channel main watch page on desktop or mobile
It didn''t translate as well to interactions in live chats, on community posts or in stories.
By revamping the verification system,
YouTube is clarifying that the verification isn''t an endorsement — it a neutral statement of fact
It also less difficult to forge, and works everywhere the creator interacts with fans.
The updated verification system drops the checkmark
in favor of a gray swipe across the channel name (see above).
This applies to both channels and artists
With regards to the latter, it will replace the music note.
The system will roll out in late October, YouTube said, and the new criteria
will apply for all channels.
Those who meet the new requirements won''t need to apply — they&ll automatically receive the new verified
Others who didn''t qualify for re-verification will be notified today and will have the option to appeal the decision before the changes
take place.
Information on the appeals process will be available in YouTube Help Center.
Update, 9/19/19, 1:26 PM ET: Here the letter
YouTube creators are receiving
Note it refers to a timeframe of &early& instead of &late& October for the changes.
Here the email if you stay verified (thanks @thiojoe)
This is the one you get if you stay verified pic.twitter.com/uBpiIGdAE1
mdash; ThioJoe (@thiojoe) September 19, 2019
