The platform of Youtube is perhaps at its most controversial stage in its development to date. Due to it being owned by Google and advertisements being a determiner of the conventional Youtubers income, there is a huge pressure on content creators to make their videos as uncontroversial as possible in order for them to receive such monetisation . This has resulted in watered down content, demonetisation of otherwise entertaining videos and even lawsuits such as the controversial 'H3H3 productions' debacle which was a battle which lasted over a year. Overall this topic would help shed some light on how artistic capacity is limited by censorship and demonetisation.
PSA Sitch did a really great video series about why Youtube ads are failing (he's usually political, but this one wasn't really, if that's a thing that would have irritated you) and why the advertisers are backing out. Highly recommended, way smarter and more complicated than I had imagined. It's called "Who's Really Attacking Youtube Ads and Why." – m-cubed7 years ago
The current opinion among content creators on the platform seems to be that YouTube's methods of how content reaches its targeted audience is flawed. Why is this so? What struggles are content creators facing and how are they supposed to get their face on the map among the millions of uploaded videos while the top channels dominate in their respected fields.
This topic is fantastic. I have considered exploring something similar before. This is the best time to discuss something like this especially following the Pewdiepie incident and the H3H3 productions lawsuit. Youtube, since being purchased by Google, has become highly commercial and as a result is highly demonetised which has severely limited the artistic capacity of content creators. – AdilYoosuf7 years ago
YouTube revenue is at an all-time low, in part due to the recent departure of several major advertisers over concerns about their products being associated with hate speech. Many on YouTube now rely on services like Patreon for income as much or more so than their YouTube partnerships. That said, Patreon is typically only successful for content creators that have already built a brand and a following. Is this the beginning of the end for YouTube as a cottage industry? Is there room for scrappy newcomers to make a living anymore?
This is an interesting question. You'd probably have to decide on an angle from which to address Youtubers, either as celebrities or small business entrepreneurs or a combination of the two, as it's a pretty unique career and there is no clear historical equivalent to compare it to. It would be important to acknowledge that youtube is only one element in a broader career for many youtubers - Troye Sivan and several other musicians attribute a degree of their success to it, but it would be a stretch to say they'd be nothing without it. Even in the case of beauty youtubers, who often get the short end of the reputation stick, many of them are industry professionals (Glam&Gore is an LA-based special effects makeup artist, pixiwoo are celebrity makeup artists, etc). This is not to say that this is the story for most Youtubers, but just something to bear in mind. Beyond Patreon, you would also have to consider one-off and also contract sponsorships, as well as business opportunities external to youtube. Other video-hosting apps and sites (RIP Vine) experience crossover with youtube so you'd want to touch on that as well. OK textblock over. – Cat7 years ago
As its been since Roman walls, hate speech, so thoughtfully scrubbed now that the sopranos is off the air, is any speech that Augustus dent want to hear. But not every wall is controlled by GE and the NBA and the lords of middlebrow decency, or the Jews theyve married,...ah, my credo, all graffiti says the same thing, This is not my wall. a roman aphorism. – Antonius8657 years ago
This would be interesting to look at from a variety of perspectives: beauty, gaming, lifestyle youtubers- I think it is different in each one. I've heard from a lot of the 'smaller but still popular' youtubers that the new advertising rules have ruined a lot of their income, so it really depends ob what type of personality/ look you are portaying. One thing that annoys me is that content aimed at young adults/ children is becoming more popular because advertisers feel comfortable working with those youtubers. It's starting to annoy me for example, that a lot of beauty youtubers have changed their personality/ content to become more kid-friendly, and have began making more videos about topics such as making friends at school or revision techniques, etc. – kwoodhead17 years ago
Terrorism is a tactic that relies on a small number of antagonists, performing a localised atrocity, but streaming their message to a mass audience. More and more, the media incorporates web-videos taken by citizen witnesses into their news reporting of these terrorist events, and millions of viewers watch the spectacles of horror. Are we unintentionally playing into the hands of terrorists by providing them with platforms for their vile PR? How can the media, and citizen journalists, change their reporting tactics to disrupt the modis operandi of terrorist operatives?
Smart idea. The rhetoric that we don't allow terror to change our lives seems problematic, and yet it's what I continue to hear after every attack and event. And yet tragedy porn seems to be a part of human nature. There was a "Black Mirror" episode related about the British PM, suggesting (I found) that humanity is too interested in sensationalism and tragedy and the perverse and simple. That terrorist groups use social media is unsurprising; school bullies and human rights groups and fast food franchises do. That news programs in a competitive market fill their time with terror and fear is also unsurprising. The question seems much more about, say, click bait and human nature. Or, the much more purposeful question might be how we can use social media not to bolster and distribute vitriol, garbage, and hatred, but to foster empathy, compassion, and understanding. – Paul A. Crutcher8 years ago
Thanks for your thoughtful comment Paul - and for reminding me of that great Black Mirror episode.There's no simple solution, and probably no way of coordinating one since people generally view their own use of social media as empwering. We presently seem locked in repetitive loop of response, as you say. – SFG8 years ago
Analyse the impact of habitually consuming short (30 second – 10 minute) videos on our consumption of "traditional" television and film. Short videos on YouTube, Facebook and other social media outlets are consumed on-demand, generally tailored to our "interests" with skippable (or micro) advertisements. In contrast, television is impersonal, generic and heavily interrupted by ad breaks. The advent of Netflix and other online streaming services further primes viewers to expect on-demand content free of advertising. How will this shape the future of television and what does this on-demand expectation say about our changing attitudes, especially in light of millennial challenges in today's world?
Our short attention spans are more tuned to watching stuff faster, on the go and based on our convenience. TV is bound to have a tough time keeping up. – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
Originally something of a joke back in the early 2010's, this song is still being commented on today, and has exploded to allow Rebecca Black to find a full fledged career as a Youtuber. With that being the case, can people really call Friday a horrible song? Or is it a youtube video of genius.
You might want to compare other (possible terrible) hit songs like Gangam Style, just so we can see that something catchy, but especially unique and terrible in other ways, is sometimes the perfect recipe. – Nate Océan8 years ago
Interesting that you've mentioned that it's still being commented on today since I haven't heard of it since it came out in 2010. What are you basing that claim upon? To justify writing an article about this today, it's important to make sure this topic is still relevant. – caitlinrose8 years ago
Agree with caitlinrose, I've not a thing about that song in forever, asides from that she's apparently taking her career into her own hands and trying to make something of herself properly these days. I feel like this topic's a few years too late. – TomWadsworth8 years ago
Slavoj Zizek has an interesting (and funny, imo) take on these kinds of songs. His main example is Gangnam Style, but any song that has a similarly overwhelming optimism to the point of annoyance is applicable, and the idea is applicable to pop culture more generally. He says the lyrics and the music are ironic: they mock the same system that they exist in and perpetuate, and this is the sign of a strong ideology. In essence, you can make fun of it, you can not believe in it, 'but belief still functions.' To hear it in his (better) words, do a quick search for 'zizek gangnam style' (5 mins long) or 'the desert of post-ideology' (a longer video, but he covers it at the very beginning. – Bod Jaman8 years ago
This is an interesting topic (and an interesting discussion taking place above me.) I would caution you to try as hard as possible to avoid trigger words such as "horrible" or "awful" when describing music - this insinuates that music is objective which is definitely not the case. Though most can agree that Rebecca Black's "Friday" is painfully bad, it might be wise to define "horrible" before beginning to write. – AndyJanz8 years ago
I also wonder, had that song been released today, would it garner the same reaction? Would Rebecca Black be subject to the same amount of hate today, when it seems that the internet has developed an increased awareness for people's sensitivities? – Jumana8 years ago
There has been a lot of static on YouTube about "Let's Play" videos, especially when it comes to Nintendo and their haste in issuing content strikes. Analyze the form of "Let's Play" videos, and offer an opinion of whether they are worthwhile original content, or just a more elaborate form of capitalizing on someone else's work.
Possibly talk about the origins of the Let's Play. This is not a new format, there was Mystery Science Theater 3000 and MTV shows riffing on music videos in the 90's. – Adam8 years ago
And if they are an elaborate form of capitalizing on someone else's work, what then? Elaborate on why that is wrong, or not as meaningful as something more original. – luminousgloom8 years ago
Everyone's masterpiece are in fact not authentic. Even if you admit or not. There's a source for it and that source doesn't come from you. – droy8 years ago
I believe it depends on how the format is presented. And honestly, most children, teens, or even adults could get excited over a game based on seeing their favorite online gamer play the game. But in the context, I'd say it is Copyright Infringement-ish, yet the Let's Plays often lead to more sales for the games and/or consoles for a specific industry.
– Analyzion8 years ago
It would server the author to look into both fair use and transformative works with regards to copyright law. Andy Warhol makes an interesting case study for this sort of thing. – John Wells8 years ago
Criticism is often associated with siloed sections of academia. Yet with the advent of YouTubers such as MatPat, Rap Critic, Nostalgia Critic, and Todd in the Shadows, criticism has become more accessible to mass audiences. In choosing YouTube as a primary vehicle of disseminating their criticism, what changes do critics like these bring about to the genre of criticism itself? Is this a form of entertainment? If so, how does this entertainment value alter how this criticism functions? Has this shift made criticism more accessible? This topic seeks to investigate questions such as these to pinpoint the effects YouTube has had on criticism as a form of academic discourse.
This is a really interesting, and quite relevant topic for today day and age. I feel as though social media, especially youtube, has a large impact on relaying info back to a audience, and can be quite influential to the people viewing. – jaimen8 years ago
I feel like the likes of Errant Signal and MrBTongue represent the next step in what the Channel Awesome generation of critics started. Chez Lindsay's evolution from The Nostalgia Chick to her current format puts it in even clearer contrast. – John Wells8 years ago
