ADPOCALYPSE …NOW: FAMOUS BUT POOR. HOW WILL YOUTUBE CHANGE?

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Wannabe YouTubers? If you think that it’s time to count on your creativity and your supposed videomaking skills, unfortunately you are running out of time. To make money with YouTube is a good idea like to bet on the victory of the Italian team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Have you ever heard about AdPocalypse?

«Have you ever considered any real freedoms? Freedoms from the opinion of others… even the opinions of yourself».

I decided to start the article with a quote from “Apocalypse Now” about freedom. Today I want to clarify what AdPocalypse is since, probably it is destined to revolutionize YouTube.

‘I want to be a YouTuber’ is the new ‘I want to open a bar on the beach in Jamaica’, it’s a dream that is becoming very popular especially among teenagers. They would like to succeed like other peers that in the latest years became webstars. The first appeal is for all mums: don’t worry, tell your kids to read this post and you will see that at that point they will prefer math!

In fact, the fabulous world of videos is suffering a setback, at least for what concerns the incomes of creators. What happens?

Do you remember when your teacher used to separate ‘good’ kids from the ‘bad’ ones? It’s an easy example to explain what AdPocalypse is. First of all: what does it mean? Ad (Advertising) + Pocalypse (Apocalypse, of course). It’s a funny play on words to say: My dear, look for a real job because maybe YouTube will make you famous, but poor.

The well-known portal owned by Google, has started restricting some videos that were judged as ‘inappropriate’. Consequently, users and views decrease, companies don’t invest money and videomakers don’t profit from their works.

Selection criteria are managed by and algorithm that analyzes a bunch of keywords, themes and music and, in the end, decides if the video is OK or not.

AdPocalypse Now!

Many channels have been closed and several YouTubers lost a significant part of their ordinary revenues. The problem is obvious: everything is in the hands of a software that doesn’t work like a human brain. Not all human brains are remarkable, but for sure they should be able to understand what it’s good or not.

But, bear in mind that it’s easy to cheat a computer! In fact, if you would upload a questionable video with bad words and inappropriate contents, it’s enough to list it while using words as love, peace or friendship…the algorithm will classify it as allowed.

At the same time, if you create an informational video in which you mention terrorism, it will be branded as red.

How will this situation evolve? YouTube won’t collapse (at least, not now), even if probably those who are complaining, could take into consideration the idea to move to another platform. It’s a moralizing action that can be partially judged as a gag on the freedom of expression. We won’t miss some YouTubers (somebody wrote even a book about their complicated life…), but AdPocalypse risks imposing a limitation on those people that, through their videos, want to communicate something intense but in a legal and honest way.

 

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