YouTube - An Obsession and an Uncertain Future

[DestinyDecade]

I don't know if it is okay to talk about this but mods, if you feel that this is uncomfortable mods, feel free to either move or lock it.

Anyway, I want to talk to you guys that I feel has now corrupted me completely. That's right. I've gotten addicted to YouTube and for some odd reason, I can't seem to get out of it. If anyone can help me, let me know in the comments. I need a way to withdraw myself from it because it has driven me insane.

Also, I want to address about YouTube's uncertain future. Here's what I have put so far.

As you can see, over the past couple of months Google has implemented several changes in order to make YouTube "better" when in reality, it makes things worse. Let's list everything.

Back in February 2012, YouTube underwent a purge cleaning out many YouTube accounts and causing a drop in subscriptions. Sure, we lost a lot of subs but we eventually got them back overtime.

A month later on March 8th, YouTube forced EVERYONE to be in this ridiculously lame channel layout that strips away the freedom we used to have in the 2.0 Layout. The 2.0 Layout was perfect and it provided us all the freedom we needed to make our pages unique. Not only that but this layout attracted a lot of users to join YouTube. This along with YouTube where it was simple was something all of us enjoyed. Sure, many hated the 2.0 Layout but eventually we grew to accept it. But when the new layout came about which is the 3.0, it caused a lot of anger and frustration among all the users, myself included.

For starters, Layout 3.0 took away EVERYTHING that 2.0 had. Instead, it made things much more difficult for users to make their channels customizable. Made worse is the fact that it stripped away many features that the previous layout had. One such example is the ability to remove users who subscribed to you. If their accounts are either closed or suspended, you can remove them no problem. Nowadays, you can't remove them because Google took that feature away making things impossible for users to clean up.

And now this... around the end of May, YouTube began undergoing a subscriber purge cleaning out inactive accounts from subscriber counts. But what actually happened ended up causing active users to be unsubscribed from many YouTube accounts. Many popular YouTube celebrities ended up losing thousands upon thousands of subscribers. I lost at most around 150 subscribers and yes, I went on to rant about it but I still am upset that they would do this and flat out deny that such a bug exists. The videos were out there, our statements show it, what is left to prove? Google then flat out denies it. It makes me sick that they would do something like that. Goes to show how ignorant Google really is.

Now we're at June and the subscriber counts still go down little by little because of YouTube's attempt at removing closed accounts. It can take months or maybe years depending on how slow they are. So now then, why am I making this topic? Simple. I'm doing this because we need to stand up and tell Google that they are killing YouTube. They are taking away the things that made YouTube such a popular site to begin with, replacing it with features that many hardly use or in some cases, never use. And it's because of these new features that a lot of users are turned off by it and left YouTube completely.

So ask yourself this? Is YouTube destined to suffer the same fate as Google's video service? The answer. Yes! Everything that Google is implementing onto YouTube are just signs that the channel will soon end up becoming like it's failed video service. All of us hate these changes and the more they do this, the more people will end up leaving the site. Which is why I ask you all this question? What do we need to do to Save YouTube? For me, I don't know but we have to try something.

This is what this discussion is all about. We need to find a way to tell Google that what they are doing is killing YouTube or in a sense, taking the You out of YouTube. I know you guys can berate me but we have to try. If it wasn't for us, then YouTube wouldn't be as it is today. YouTube and the people who use it form like some kind of circle. I'm thinking Star Wars here which is a symbiotic relationship. What happens to one affects the other. For example, Google implements the layouts to YouTube and as a result, it affects the users in a VERY negative fashion. Yes, the example is a bit lame but if you have a better idea, feel free to provide. It's only a matter of time before Google puts something that will force all of YouTube to leave.

I've said enough because right now, I'm at wit's end. I wish for this to be a civil discussion on what we can do to tell Google or in a sense, what we can do to save YouTube. If we don't do something, Google will run it down to the ground and we'll end up with nothing. I hope to hear from everyone and what we can do today will eventually help us get what we need to give Google a message. Take care.

Hope to hear form everyone.

 

[Dan]

I doubt youtube will fail. It's userbase is huge. People find it easy to use and very quick. There are plenty of video's to see and behold.
I don't think youtube is going anywhere. I do agree it's sad when there's an update, it's normally for the most part utter ****.

 

[Ventus]

Well, that's Google for you. It's good for a search engine but everything else friggin' sucks. GooglePlus? lol, wat is that. That video service? Who cares. And now we come to YouTube.

YouTube before Google's purchase was the ****. Almost zero lag, so many features, so much awesomeness. Then little by little YouTube became crappier and crappier until we're at the current state.

First important thing: Google bought YouTube. Death of us all.

Second important thing to me, and I'm personally speaking as a YouTube user and channel owner, was the loss of the 5 star rating system. I don't care HOW MANY people like the video or dislike it. I want to know about my viewers' reception as far as the video QUALITY goes. Google killed the 5 star system -- it still exists on the YouTube iPod app that's preloaded onto like every iPod Touch/iPhone in existence, but on the full website we have the like/dislike feature, because I'm sure Google wants to copy Facebook.

Third, VEVO came along. That's self explanatory, if you don't know what VEVO is, do a...YouTube search. You'll see what I mean.

Fourth, YouTube Channel Layout 3.0. It's virtually uncustomizable. It lacks everything that 2.0 did great -- I'm sure even 1.0 had at least a few of 2.0's features. I loved fiddling with the colors of my channel. That doesn't get to happen. I loved putting custom BGs that bled through. I don't believe that happens anymore, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't based on my viewing big time YouTube users.

Fifth and this isn't even THAT important, but we lost the ability to do the streams.

YouTube is probably going to be around for along time. But, I'm sure it's going to turn into Hulu like the rage of like what, 2008 or something (the HuluTube rage was very recent) -- you can't view **** when you want. I mean, I thought it was YOUTube, Broadcast Yourself . Not GoogleTube, HuluTube, or MeTube. We're not allowed to do any of that.

 

[DestinyDecade]

YouTube had a catchphrase and that is Broadcast Yourself. It's not there anymore. That's why I wish that we can do something and fight back by telling them that we want a change.

 

[Dan]

YouTube had a catchphrase and that is Broadcast Yourself. It's not there anymore. That's why I wish that we can do something and fight back by telling them that we want a change.

It's still there as the title(look at the tab). Just not on the logo which is fair enough, I think the logo is the least of the concern...

 

[Ventus]

Oh but Dan, Google's removing it from the logo is very significant. It shows that Google in fact DOESN'T want you to "Broadcast Yourself". I'd say it's deliberate, even, what with all the changes to AwesomeTube as of the past four or five years. We don't have the freedom of YouTube Layout 2.0, VEVO dominated the music market with so many awesome people being suspended for the whackest reasons, gameplay is being taken down because Jagex, Rockstar Games and so many other firms do not like having their game broadcast (don't see why this'd hurt them, really)...

 

[Dan]

Oh but Dan, Google's removing it from the logo is very significant. It shows that Google in fact DOESN'T want you to "Broadcast Yourself". I'd say it's deliberate, even, what with all the changes to AwesomeTube as of the past four or five years. We don't have the freedom of YouTube Layout 2.0, VEVO dominated the music market with so many awesome people being suspended for the whackest reasons, gameplay is being taken down because Jagex, Rockstar Games and so many other firms do not like having their game broadcast (don't see why this'd hurt them, really)...

Hmmm you may have a point, but like I said it is still in the title and search results. If that were the case they would remove it from there as well. If they don't want us broadcasting ourselfs what do they want us to do ?

 

[Ventus]

I don't even knows. Google jacked YouTube up so far, I don't know what they want us to do :/

 

[Dan]

I don't even knows. Google jacked YouTube up so far, I don't know what they want us to do :/

I think there just trying to cover there asses from law suits. Sadly it punishes the users as well. It's very sad that they try to restrict customization.
Can you guys remember when you could actually select your own thumbnail for youtube, those were the days.

Have Google ever explained why they make the restrictions ?

 

[DestinyDecade]

Like I said, I wish for something to happen... a change. A change that can help bring YouTube back the way it was.

 

[DestinyDecade]

That's what I hate. I know that Google has something to hide and I won't rest until it is exposed.

 

[Drum_]

Youtube has chances because most users are braindead morons. Those specific users can't tell the difference between a 240p or 360p.
Google are pathetic little spys.

 

[windwaker101]

It official, this world is falling to pieces as we speak. Not only is Google taking away our freedom, but its becoming a living hell. -.-

 

[DestinyDecade]

That's why we need to figure out a way to send a message to them. We have to.

 

[Ventus]

We could always spam the "Report a Bug" feature, with complaints as to the entire layout and such. Although, there are multiple problems with that:

a) Not sure if the mods at ZD like such an idea
b) Not sure if Google pays attention to the bug feature; see the Subscription bug
c) Not sure if anyone is dedicated.

Then the next idea I propose is a YouTube blackout day, but I'm not entirely sure on that iether.