Prompt Cast
YouTube's Algorithm Shift and the Harassment of Carlos Mazza
TLDR Carlos Mazza faces backlash and harassment after criticizing comedians' coverage of Trump on YouTube, including homophobic and racist jokes made by Steven Crowder. YouTube's algorithm change in 2015 led to the recommendation of more extreme and fringe content, allowing figures like Crowder to gain more subscribers and support.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Carlos Mazza, a former victim of bullying and now a YouTuber, faces backlash and trouble after posting a video criticizing comedians' coverage of Trump.
03:37
Carlos Mazza faces backlash and trouble after posting a video criticizing comedians' coverage of Trump, including homophobic and racist jokes made by Steven Crowder.
08:09
YouTube fails to take action against Steven Crowder's harassment of Carlos Mazza, leading to Crowder gaining more subscribers, receiving support from Fox News, and Mazza facing death threats and harassment from Crowder's fans.
12:27
YouTube's algorithm shifted from prioritizing views to optimizing watch time, leading to the birth of longer videos and YouTube commentators like Steven Crowder.
15:37
YouTube's algorithm change in 2015 led to the recommendation of more extreme and fringe content, resulting in conspiracy theorists and racists gaining a significant amount of traffic on the platform.
19:01
YouTube initially stated that Stephen Crowder's videos did not violate their policies, but later decided to demonetize his videos, which many people felt was not a sufficient punishment, as demonetization does not affect those who use the platform primarily to build an audience and sell merchandise.
22:21
YouTube's decision to not take down videos containing hate speech but instead demonetize them is seen as an instruction manual for how to harass and signals to marginalized groups that they must tolerate derogatory language in order to participate in political discussions on the platform.
25:32
The host reflects on the impact of the conversation he started about YouTube's policies, feeling that while it was important and meaningful, he ultimately didn't win and misses the simplicity of his previous content, as Steven Crowder continues to profit and harass him without consequence.
Categories:
Technology
Society & Culture
