YouTube to allow filtering of comments, users prove it's a smart idea.

[Thr33X]

So yeah, apparently YouTube is going to allow for networks and soon individual channels to actually filter keywords out in their comments section so that comments of a certain tone will not be seen. At this point it's only an option that channels will be able to implement individually, but I can see it becoming a YouTube mandate in the not so distant future what with the cesspool that comment sections have become in recent months (specifically pointing at the whole Caroline Petit/Gamespot/GTA5 fiasco).

Now it's apparently part of a revamping of the comments that will (they hope) create more of a community like atmosphere, as on the opposite spectrum they're implimenting this "good comment algorithm" that pushes positive comments up and negative ones down, but apparently even if you have vulgarities in your username would your comments...good or bad...not make the page.

Personally, this could be a good and bad thing. Obviously people hate trolls, but they aren't going anywhere. One could say this might limit poignant discussions between viewers on the opposite side, but honestly when's the last you saw poignant discussion in the comment section of a YouTube video?

In fact the very video I saw announcing this...well, you go ahead and look at the comments section for yourselves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJRUyOftq50

Thoughts?

 

[lacktheknack]

This is... This is wonderful.

This. There is literally no downside. Now we can deal with troll comments without having to block everything.

 

[TheIceQueen]

This is... This is wonderful.

I agree with this. Praise the lord! The rapture is coming to youtube comments!

But in all seriousness, yeah, this is only a good thing.

 

[Thr33X]

Yeah, they point out that it's the choice of the channel owners themselves a few times in the video, but let's face it...once this goes live, EVERY respectable channel is going to activate it. Now all they need is a filter for the "please check out my channel" spammers. I swear they really DO need to make that happen.

You might have some people out there who will whine about this being "restrictive" or even worse...*GASP*CENSORSHIP*OH NOEZ!!!* But screw it, we've already seen what people do with that "creative freedom" of being anonymous. Forcing them to behave is just good on all levels. Plenty of ways to voice your disagreement or disdain in more constructive language anyway.

 

[Shadowstar38]

Plenty of ways to voice your disagreement or disdain in more constructive language anyway.

You may kindly salivate upon my manhood for being in an opposing position to my own good sir.

OT: It's about freaking time. Though this might make the comments section less entertaining.

 

[KarmaTheAlligator]

So soon we'll see a rise in actually intelligent comments and a decrease in insults and spam? Sweet.

 

[Lugbzurg]

The YouTube Comment Section has been the butt of many jokes...

Well, no more!

This will only bring good! (I think) Also, you gotta love that "Finnish Hymn" pun!

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

This is a double-edged sword in my opinion. Sure, toning down the trolling (even if it can be funny at times) is a good thing, but where exactly does the filter stop? Will my comment not be seen if I use the word "fuck"? Where will the line be drawn in that kind of censorship? What words can be used by both trolls and genuine people posting genuine comments? Hmm?

As I said, a double-edged sword.

 

[Easton Dark]

I have a feeling TotalBiscuit will use this heavily and maybe now Anita Sarkeesian will allow comments again.

Block spam and the "please check out my channel" posts and I'll be golden.

 

[chadachada123]

I don't like it, because there's too high of a chance of false positives, given the nature of the English language (let alone other languages), and the massive differences in meaning between dialects even within a language.

I remember a Mario Party game being recalled in the UK because it said "spastic" in the literal sense, while in the US that word does not have nearly the same connotation. On the flipside, **** is basically harmless in Australia, but "zomg so evil" in the US.

I know that on Cracked.com's comment section, "Japanese" filters to "***anese," along with other hilarities.

At the very least, it should allow channels to choose which words to filter. Then again, this could also lead to the elimination of dissenting opinion and rational discourse, for obvious reasons.

I see too many issues and not nearly enough benefit.

 

[shintakie10]

This is a double-edged sword in my opinion. Sure, toning down the trolling (even if it can be funny at times) is a good thing, but where exactly does the filter stop? Will my comment not be seen if I use the word "fuck"? Where will the line be drawn in that kind of censorship? What words can be used by both trolls and genuine people posting genuine comments? Hmm?

As I said, a double-edged sword.

The line is where the content provider sets it. Some might draw the line at poopy. Others might draw the line at actual swear words like fuck. Some might draw the line at rape, threats of rape, or suicide related things.

That's the beauty of it. People set their own limits instead of Google settin the limits. You're not bein censored in that case. Its more like...forcibly adhering to someone elses sensibilities when you're in their home. In this case the block is their level of tolerance for people's shit and their home is their youtube channel where they provide content for the masses.

 

[KeyMaster45]

This is a double-edged sword in my opinion. Sure, toning down the trolling (even if it can be funny at times) is a good thing, but where exactly does the filter stop? Will my comment not be seen if I use the word "fuck"? Where will the line be drawn in that kind of censorship? What words can be used by both trolls and genuine people posting genuine comments? Hmm?

As I said, a double-edged sword.

I've got a better question that needs to be asked. Where will all the displaced trolls go when this happens? The ramifications on the rest of the internet could be quite extreme come the swinging of the Google banhammer.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

I wouldn't give this the old thumbs up myself. It's pretty fucking easy to ignore stupid/trolling/flame bait/racist/sexist comments.

But if channels start censoring keywords on an automatic basis then even sensible comments with such keywords would be automatically stripped from existence.

The only good use I think would be family friendly channels (like PaulSoaresJr for example) censoring swear words.

But this is likely to be abused in my mind.

 

[Qwurty2.0]

This is a double-edged sword in my opinion. Sure, toning down the trolling (even if it can be funny at times) is a good thing, but where exactly does the filter stop? Will my comment not be seen if I use the word "fuck"? Where will the line be drawn in that kind of censorship? What words can be used by both trolls and genuine people posting genuine comments? Hmm?

As I said, a double-edged sword.

I've got a better question that needs to be asked. Where will all the displaced trolls go when this happens? The ramifications on the rest of the internet could be quite extreme come the swinging of the Google banhammer.

Looks like we're going to have to filter ALL of the internet.

You can not create or destroy a troll, you can only change their form.

 

[KeyMaster45]

This is a double-edged sword in my opinion. Sure, toning down the trolling (even if it can be funny at times) is a good thing, but where exactly does the filter stop? Will my comment not be seen if I use the word "fuck"? Where will the line be drawn in that kind of censorship? What words can be used by both trolls and genuine people posting genuine comments? Hmm?

As I said, a double-edged sword.

I've got a better question that needs to be asked. Where will all the displaced trolls go when this happens? The ramifications on the rest of the internet could be quite extreme come the swinging of the Google banhammer.

Looks like we're going to have to filter ALL of the internet.

You can not create or destroy a troll, you can only change their form.

My point exactly.

The YouTube comments section have, since the dawning of the third internet age, been one of the great troll attracting pillars of the internet; 4chan, Reddit, and Facebook being the current others. By removing the YouTube comments the balance has been upset, and a void must be filled. Before a replacement is crowned it is likely we will see many relatively troll free websites descend into temporary chaos.

Mark my words, dark days lie ahead from Google's well intentioned actions.

 

[runic knight]

So it allows channel owners to dictate the rules of the "forum" that is their comment sections?
Alright, I can go with that.
I suppose better communication may be in order about how it will work specifically or how it will work per channel, and with quoting other comments and so on. Beyond that though, this may be one of the first changes youtube has tried to push in a long while that I actually see as a good idea. Usually it is just reshuffling what the front page looks like or some other change meant to increase add revenue by making you have to go through more pages to find what you want (least, most changes always felt like that). This seems like an actual tool for content creators to help maintain the atmosphere they want in the channel.

 

[Thr33X]

I don't like it, because there's too high of a chance of false positives, given the nature of the English language (let alone other languages), and the massive differences in meaning between dialects even within a language.

I remember a Mario Party game being recalled in the UK because it said "spastic" in the literal sense, while in the US that word does not have nearly the same connotation. On the flipside, **** is basically harmless in Australia, but "zomg so evil" in the US.

I know that on Cracked.com's comment section, "Japanese" filters to "***anese," along with other hilarities.

At the very least, it should allow channels to choose which words to filter. Then again, this could also lead to the elimination of dissenting opinion and rational discourse, for obvious reasons.

I see too many issues and not nearly enough benefit.

Initially it will be up to the channels themselves as to whether they want to implement this or not. Obviously some will, and some will heavily, but it's up to the channel owners themselves. Also bear in mind it's being rolled out incrementally, first networks like Machinima, then bigger channels like PewDiePie, then the rest of us. I was only theorizing that eventually YouTube would probably make it mandatory, because it's YouTube...when have they ever asked for feedback before changing something>

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

The comments in the video are just tons of explectives, slurs, hashtags, hatemongering, and spam words pushed together in no semblance.

Why is this so freaking funny to me. I'm literally cracking up around every fifth comment.

The actual feature? Whatever, don't care for it.

 

[Psychobabble]

Huh, this might actually be a really good thing provided the filter doesn't hamper normal rational conversation as well. Imagine how frustrating it would be to make a simple innocuous comment only to have it blocked by the auto-filter and not know exactly what word or phrase got you blocked. Could turn out to be quite the nightmare.

 

[DasDestroyer]

I will use this for the greatest good conceivable - I will ban the letter "e" on all of my videos.