Is This Strange New Feature A Glimpse Into YouTube’s Future
Some creators fear it could make their job a lot more difficult.
Giphy
When it comes to profiting big off of social media, keeping users engaged is the key. Of course, this raises plenty of other concerns, including addiction and the potentially harmful types of content that often drive user engagement.
The goal, as you’ve noticed if you’ve ever wasted a few hours on TikTok, is to provide an endlessly scrollable experience that never presents a signal that it’s time to go do something else. And now another major platform seems to be embracing this strategy.
YouTube’s gamble
For well over a decade, YouTube has been the go-to destination for people who want to upload their own videos or watch videos uploaded by others. And while there have been some notable updates to the platform over the years, the basic vibe of the site hasn’t changed all that much.
There might be one significant shift on the horizon, however. YouTube has been offering a feature to a test group of Android users for a few months and could soon roll it out on devices far and wide.
Essentially, the change impacts how viewers find new content and might force creators to think of new ways of drawing attention to their videos.
All about the scroll
The new model closely resembles how TikTok users swipe to load a new video.
For its part, YouTube says the goal is to make it easier for viewers to find relevant content while giving creators an opportunity to reach a larger audience. But with a nebulous algorithm controlling the feed, there’s growing concern that creators won’t be able to differentiate themselves with eye-catching thumbnail images anymore.
If the move increases engagement, it could work out for YouTube … but if creators become obsessed with pleasing the algorithm instead of their audiences, we could all lose.
Why Is The Aging Voyager 1 Probe Sending Back Incoherent Communications?
It's been speaking gibberish for a few months and officials are concerned.
One Woman’s Massive Donation Is Wiping Out Tuition At This Medical School
Her inheritance came with the instruction to do "whatever you think is right."
Woman’s Pets Will Inherit Her Multimillion-Dollar Fortune, Not Her Kids
It's not the first time four-legged heirs were named in a will.