What's Going Wrong With YouTube? | TheDonkeyInvasion
Ahoy!
A few weeks ago, Bry and Candice made a video called What's Going Wrong With YouTube? I advise you to go and watch it, but if you don't fancy that, the baseline is that: YouTube has changed. YouTuber's are put into groups, and they do not like that.
Bear with me, for I have a LOT to say.
A few weeks ago, Bry and Candice made a video called What's Going Wrong With YouTube? I advise you to go and watch it, but if you don't fancy that, the baseline is that: YouTube has changed. YouTuber's are put into groups, and they do not like that.
A Blog I follow (and LOVE reading) called theartofbeinginvisible, went further, taking most of the words right out of my mouth. She said that YouTube was no longer personal. It all feels different now. They're not the friendly 'Agony Aunt' or 'Big brother/sister here to help' figures they used to be. It's like they look down on us.
Instead of writing an entire post on why I agree and what I have to say, I'll share the comment I made on Erin's post:
"You took the words right out of my mouth, Erin. I'm also annoyed that now YouTube is becoming far more consumerist. The most popular videos are 20-something minute hauls, that no subscriber, no ordinary person could afford. This really irritates me, because a fan-base is very impressionable and it just causes issues. YouTuber's used to care. Popular YouTuber's used to do Q&A's on social, health and mental issues. Now their channels have just become a hub for adverts and money-making (I don't actually have a problem with YouTuber's making money, I think it is great, I just think they should reach out and help their audience.)"
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And I refuse to anyone who disagrees, to take that back. I won't be mentioning names, but so many YouTuber's that I have watched, when they passed the 1-million or 3-million subscriber mark, stopped caring. These YouTuber's used to do Q&A's on social, health and mental issues, and I just don't see that anymore.
Significantly, there are less 'big-brother' figure YouTuber's out there, and that sucks. For both boys and girls. Ben Cook (ninebrassmonkeys) made a video called 'Girls on YouTube' where lots of YouTuber's discussed that the significant subscriber difference and significant lack of female presence on YouTube. True that, true that. But, most of the self-help and teen advice channels are aimed at girls. Very few are aimed at boys, and even less are aimed to offer advice to both genders.
In my rant, I do include side-channels. For YouTuber's like Emma Blackery, she keeps her main channel for skits, her music and light-hearted content. But she also runs a side-channel (Boxes of Foxes) where she offers advice on relationships, health, makeup, puberty and fashion to teen girls). But, whilst I think of Emma as an exception, in general, side-channels still don't change how I feel at the moment.
Perhaps I'm not being fair, perhaps I'm being harsh, but I find it hard to find channels that enable me to still treat YouTube as a community.
////////// Quote of the post //////////
"Change the changeable, accept the unchangeable, and remove yourself from the unacceptable" - Denis Wamley
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Tiny lil' disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, any images of YouTuber's in videos and photos shown here, are purely examples of the current situation and not intended to cause harm, distress or upset to any group or individuals. ☺️
I'm glad you decided to talk about this too. And thank you for saying nice things about my blog. It's great to hear your views x
ReplyDeleteThanks! ;-)
DeleteI am so glad someone else is talking about this issue. I have been watching YouTube for about seven years now and it didn't used be like this. It used to feel authentic, but now it just seems to be about the popularity and products. It is great that so many youtubers are doing so well and being successful, but why has there become this elite group of YouTube and you have to really work the politics and play a game just to get noticed? What happened to plain old great content? It's a shame really.
ReplyDelete~Chioma @ Blue Books and Butterflies
I haven't been watching YouTube for nearly as long, so I can't imagine how much it must have changed for you! But in the three years I've been watching YouTube, it has became less authentic, as you said! And I agree, for many, the content standards have dropped, I guess it will have to be a waiting game to see what the next few years have in store for our community!
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