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YouTube has a shake up

 
This week YouTube has had a shake up... and it is causing a bit of a stir. Google (owners of YouTube) seem to be streamlining their assets recently. As we saw with the new Google Helpouts - only being payable via Google Wallet etc. The search engine professionals seem to be marrying up all their other endeavours to get what would seem to be a more versatile brand.

 
Image: mashable.com

So what exactly has changed? If you are regular YouTube user with an account you may have already experienced this first hand. What's new:

  • Make comments private
  • Reply to threads
  • Share comments via Google+
  • Edit comments
  • Get notifications
  • Leave longer comment
  • Include URLs (although this has been used as an invitation for spammers)
Looking at this list, you can see what YouTube are trying to do. They are trying to inject some quality into the otherwise nonsensical and dramatic world of the YouTube user. Well, this is how I have viewed it up until now. I see their point but I’m not sure whether it would make me sign up still.

They are making it impossible to have an account without a legitimate Google+ account. This means if you don’t have one, you will be getting one soon. It also means that false accounts and bogus names are forbidden, it will have to be a ‘real’ name... although of course you may make one up. One of the major grievances is that there is less anonymity.

Any old comments can still be seen but are currently frozen; they cannot be replied to. Also, your new account will not link up to any of your previous posts.

Image: gizmodo.com

By and large the reaction has not been great, there are a lot of thumbs downs from their regular users but is this just because it is different? Someone has even uploaded his own video in disgust; I am sure there will be more of these to come. The critics are claiming they are upset at Google for making these 'unnecessary' changes. It doesn't look like Google are going to back down, although like any new venture adjustments will be made along the way.

Reflectively, it seems we all revel in the speed sites get updated usually, as long as it means we don’t have to do anything. YouTube have obviously made these changes with an idea, a vision of the new YouTube. They have competitors and work in a tempestuous market, so in their defence they are just rolling with punches.

Their mission statement will not of changed and I feel these alterations are just a sign of the times. Most social media sites give you an option of messaging, commenting, re-posting etc and so it is not strange that YouTube will want to keep up with this. To make the site have a more integral attitude will probably attract new customers and move the site into the new direction.

The changes mean you can write more and be continuously interactive with other users; I am assuming YouTube are hoping this will create a more appealing place to discuss whatever you are watching. In the next few days we will witness the benefits and pitfalls, it will effect the way people use the site and it will become apparent within a few weeks if it was worth it.

As I have stated, I am not signed up to YouTube but the idea of a friendlier and potentially safer environment promotes a positive attitude. I am sure it will have many reactions but a change is sometimes exactly what is needed.

Faye Cannon

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YouTube has a shake up Reviewed by Anonymous on Friday, November 08, 2013 Rating: 5
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