Creators blast YouTube over spam bots “plaguing” comments section
YouTubeTop YouTube creators have hit out at the platform over spambots “plaguing” the comment sections.
Since the beginning of YouTube, the comment section has been a place for fans to critique and praise videos, as well as a place to interact with a community.
However, in recent times the YouTube comment section has been “plagued” with bots that are spam promoting sexual content, leading to creators hitting out at the platform with accusations there are no efforts to combat it.
A concerned tweet from Fortnite YouTuber Martyn ‘InTheLittleWood’ Littlewood on January 2 questioned if the platform is actively working to combat spambots.
“Did I miss a blog post or tweet regarding these copy and paste spambots?” asked InTheLittleWood.
The creator continued: “I’d love to know if it’s something you guys are actively working to combat. Every video for over a month now is littered in genuine comments being duplicated by sexbots.”
Yo @YouTubeCreators @YouTubeGaming @Fwiz did I miss a blog post or tweet regarding these copy/paste spam bots?
I'd love to know if it's something you guys are actively working to combat
Every video for a month+ now is littered in genuine comments being duplicated by sex bots 🙄 pic.twitter.com/HbmM50W7B3
— Martyn Littlewood (@InTheLittleWood) January 2, 2022
The tweet gathered the attention of some of YouTube’s biggest creators such as Ali-A and Vikkstar, who each had their own concerns with the platform’s efforts to combat the bots.
“Given they just duplicate existing top comments, you’d think some relatively simple code could be used to ban them,” said Vikkstar. “Yet they’ve been plaguing comment sections for over a year now.”
Given they just duplicate existing top comments, you’d think some relatively simple code could be used to ban them. Yet they’ve been plaguing comment sections for over a year now 🤔
— Vikkstar123 ★ (@Vikkstar123) January 2, 2022
Ali-A claimed it’s impossible to keep on top of deleting the spam comments: “Really hope a work-around is found – These comments are impossible to keep on top of.”
Really hope a work-around is found – These comments are impossible to keep on top of 😰
— Ali-A (@OMGitsAliA) January 2, 2022
Ryan ‘Fwiz’ Wyatt, the Head of YouTube gaming assured the creators he’d check in the team behind the comments section, and will get back to the creators when he’s got more knowledge. “Sits outside of Gaming related work, so I need to get smarter on the topic and get you an answer. Stay tuned.”
https://twitter.com/Fwiz/status/1477656181606780929?s=20
With YouTube’s very own Head of Gaming looking into the situation, hopefully the platform will further push a solution for creators to deal with the spambots that are littering the comment section.