YouTube has detailed in a blog post the latest efforts it had conducted to reduce instances of improper demonetization of videos. These efforts centered on preventing repeated changes in monetization classification and decreasing the number of false positives detected by the company’s algorithm.
One of the key issues raised by content creators is the repeated changes to the monetization classification. The content creator is informed of the monetization classification through an icon, which is colored green when the video is monetizing or yellow when the video has limited or no ads. The service itself noted in its support site that this classification may change even after the video has been published since YouTube’s algorithms scan the uploaded content multiple times. YouTube’s chief Susan Wojcicki admitted through a blog post that the changes in classification have been a source of frustration on the part of content creators. In response to these concerns, the company has released an update to its systems back in February, which reduced the instances of classification change by as much as 90-percent. This change also reduced the volume of appeals filed by content creators by half. In addition, the streaming service is working with a set of content creators in order to help improve the detection of its algorithms by answering a set of questions that focus on the compliance of the uploaded content to YouTube’s advertiser-friendly guidelines. For example, the questionnaire asks users on whether or not the video contains sex, violence, drug use, firearms, and profanity, and how often do these appear in the uploaded content. It is important to note that the videos will still be classified with the help of human reviewers and computer algorithms, although the addition of the questionnaire should decrease the number of videos that are incorrectly classified by YouTube’s automated systems.
Even though YouTube is already formulating measures to prevent improper demonetization, the streaming service also recognize the fact that content creators need additional ways of monetizing content aside from advertisements. To solve this concern, the tech firm is currently testing sponsorships with a number of content creators. Sponsorships allow fans to support their favorite content creators by purchasing digital goods, which may include custom badges and emojis. In addition to tackling issues related to monetization and revenue of content creators, the blog post also discussed the improvements made by YouTube in communicating with content creators through social media. The company noted that the number of replies it made through its official Twitter accounts have increased by as much as 600-percent. In addition, the service’s Community feature has been expanded to include more content creators, while the moderation system, which allowed creators to review comments, has resulted in a 75-percent decrease in complaints related to the comments.