YouTube comments

[Happy Jack]

Ever since I first saw the nature of a typical YouTube comment I have ensured that any videos I post have Comments disabled. YouTube truly is the natural habitat of the Internet Troll.

Now I see this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-46559772

They claim to be removing nearly one billion comments a year. Really? 

If that really is the case, then I guess they need to target 5bn removals a year in future ...

 

[paul_c2]

YouTube could properly moderate their comments and other areas (ie pulling down unsuitable videos etc) but it doesn't really make commercial sense to do so, since it doesn't really have much of a benefit, vs the costs of doing so. I guess so long as they do just about enough to keep the advertiser's money flowing in, that's okay.

I think people themselves need to take more responsibility that the internet is effectively unpoliced in some areas, YouTube comments being one example but by no means the only one. So, either take the comments with a pinch of salt, or don't read them, or don't focus so much on getting involved with arguments on them. 

Sure, moderation is necessary....but in moderation.....

[Newfoundfreedom]

I often start to read the comments because some of them are helpful and give more insight and sometimes more information about whatever the specific subject of the video is. However, almost inevitably I have to stop after the first few because I find my faith in humanity being utterly destroyed. 

I don't post many videos, but occasionally I'll post something for a specific purpose, which is usually aimed at a specific target, and nothing really for general public consumption. One example was a video of a van I was selling. To which some modern day poet wrote "stinky poo van", and another was a video of band practice which I uploaded from my phone purely so I could watch it, and hear it on the big screen. To which someone wrote "That's just noise". 

Now granted, the second comment was debatable, but that aside, have these people really got nothing better to do? I couldn't even work out how or why anyone would be able to find, or be interested in watching my videos in the first place. Utter pond life. 

[musicbassman]

It's just a form of pointless verbal vandalism.

People who have no status or influence in their lives can resort to this - it's all they have to offer.

It's a bit like local yoofs beating up the bus shelter, throwing litter around or throwing stones at fire engines - it's the only way to make them feel like they are getting noticed or are important.

Apparently having your face tattooed is another sensible option sometimes chosen...   .

 

[PawelG]

9 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

I often start to read the comments because some of them are helpful and give more insight and sometimes more information about whatever the specific subject of the video is. However, almost inevitably I have to stop after the first few because I find my faith in humanity being utterly destroyed.

+1

I also read the comments as very often they are hilarious. There’s a lot of very mean people on the internet, I just ignore them. They don’t have nothing better to do.

To me YouTube is mainly music and education.

YouTube channels (majority of them) need views. And in this case, it’s better to have 100 “haters” than not be mentioned at all, I guess.

[The59Sound]

Remember - there are a lot of people under 16 commenting on these videos. Even under 12s. 

[Norris]

1 hour ago, The59Sound said:

Remember - there are a lot of people under 16 commenting on these videos. Even under 12s. 

YouTube seems to be the viewing of choice for the younger generation. My kids (21 & 17) rarely watch tv, but will spend hour after hour watching videos on YouTube given the chance, and the more puerile the better as far as I can tell. The ability to add "witty" comments is a bonus.

For a lot of people it seems to be that if you can't become famous, you can at least become notorious through trolling. YouTube comments and Twitter appear to be the main vehicles. As has been said, it's the online (and therefore much more public) equivalent of mindful vandalism. It's a sad part of human nature, so it would seem

[Angelus]

I stopped watching, or actually spending as much time, on you tube after clicking on what I thought was a comedic video about flat earth. Turned out this guy was real, believes we are being tricked by nasa and when someone intelligent commented, giving scientific evidence as to why he was wrong, poor chap commenting got absolutely roasted by half a dozen or so idiots who also believed we are living on a disc. He remained composed and tried to logically explain his point, but never argue with an idiot. They’ll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. 

I actually think we might have peaked as a species? 

[AdrianP]

YouTube comments don't really bother me. It's just the flotsam and jetsam of free speech on the internet. What really does get me, though, is the passive/aggressive down like.

Take one example. I subscribe to a channel of a performer who posts beautifully produced arrangements of traditional songs played on the Appalachian dulcimer. She has a lot of loyal subscribers who post supportive comments on her arrangements. But it's not exactly the white hot centre of the YouTube universe. So what exactly takes you to her page, listen to a piece of music and then down like it, without even commenting? You were looking for videos of cats playing with a ball of wool were you? You feel cheated so you hit the down like button? I just don't get it. At least with a comment, someone has taken the time, whatever they think.

But that's just me. Weird like that.

[Newfoundfreedom]

5 hours ago, Angelus said:

I stopped watching, or actually spending as much time, on you tube after clicking on what I thought was a comedic video about flat earth. Turned out this guy was real, believes we are being tricked by nasa and when someone intelligent commented, giving scientific evidence as to why he was wrong, poor chap commenting got absolutely roasted by half a dozen or so idiots who also believed we are living on a disc. He remained composed and tried to logically explain his point, but never argue with an idiot. They’ll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. 

I actually think we might have peaked as a species? 

I only discovered flat Earthers were a thing about 12 months ago through YouTube. What a bunch of utter delusional nutters! It's almost a religion. It doesn't matter how many facts or how much proof you throw at them, they will continue to believe whatever they want regardless. It's actual quite scary. 

[paul_c2]

The Flat Earth Society claims to have 20,000 members globally.

[BreadBin]

58 minutes ago, paul_c2 said:

The Flat Earth Society claims to have 20,000 members globally.

Shouldn't that be discally? 

[BassTractor]

30 minutes ago, BreadBin said:

Shouldn't that be discally? 

DON'T!!!

JUST DON'T!!!

DO NOT EXPLAIN THE JOKE!!!
😂

Edited December 15, 2018 by BassTractor

[BassTractor]

1 hour ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

I only discovered flat Earthers were a thing about 12 months ago through YouTube. What a bunch of utter delusional nutters! It's almost a religion. It doesn't matter how many facts or how much proof you throw at them, they will continue to believe whatever they want regardless. It's actual quite scary. 

I do seriously believe that 95% of flat earthers are scientifically inclined, and do this just for the fun of it and as some type of experiment. The last 5% OTOH, are deeply worrying, as are the nutcases people who studied "one and a half year - - on the Internet" (literally), and conclude that Earth is at the centre of the entire Universe - - of course without being able to provide the maths that prove the notion that the Sun orbits around the Earth. 

[BassTractor]

22 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

It doesn't matter how many facts or how much proof you throw at them, they will continue to believe whatever they want regardless. 

I forgot the details, but it now appears the psychology and social psychology of it all in fact means that reason and facts against their notions actually strengthen their conviction, just as documented earlier as regards to other well-known groups of people with delusions. 

[musicbassman]

59 minutes ago, BassTractor said:

the psychology and social psychology of it all in fact means that reason and facts against their notions actually strengthen their conviction, just as documented earlier as regards to other well-known groups of people with delusions.  

I suppose that must also apply to an event that took place on 23rd June 2016...   

[Barking Spiders]

On 15/12/2018 at 15:50, Angelus said:

I stopped watching, or actually spending as much time, on you tube after clicking on what I thought was a comedic video about flat earth. Turned out this guy was real, believes we are being tricked by nasa and when someone intelligent commented, giving scientific evidence as to why he was wrong, poor chap commenting got absolutely roasted by half a dozen or so idiots who also believed we are living on a disc. He remained composed and tried to logically explain his point, but never argue with an idiot. They’ll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. 

I actually think we might have peaked as a species? 

I think I know the post you mention. A particular sub-species of human I despair of are internet conspiracy theorists, the sort who infer that thousands of scientists around the world have colluded to play a huge hoax on the world's population  viz climate change. Often i find myself wishing for an asteroid to come crashing into Earth so a few thousand years into the future, life can start again. You Tube is possibly the worst outlet for the many pathetic trolls who feel the need to disparage anyone who tries to do anything with their lives. I certainly wouldn't post vids of myself playing bass etc.

Edited December 17, 2018 by Barking Spiders

[musicbassman]

Some of you may already know of Nahre Sol and watch her videos. I know of her via Adam Neely.

She posted this piece yesterday about YouTube negativity - she has quite a large following and it would seem that the recent performance piece she posted didn't ...er...go down too well with some viewers

The comments make an interesting read also.

 

[bazzbass]

On ‎16‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 02:20, Angelus said:

, believes we are being tricked by nasa 

I actually think we might have peaked as a species? 

well, all young people know that nasa faked the moon landings....

 

yet they believe in zombies and vampires

[Happy Jack]

Of course zombies and vampires exist. Have you never watch Today In Parliament?

 

[chris_b]

I made a change to Youtube settings that disabled the comments.

Can't remember what that change was, but I've been comment free for a couple of years.

[tauzero]

On 15/12/2018 at 21:15, Newfoundfreedom said:

I only discovered flat Earthers were a thing about 12 months ago through YouTube. What a bunch of utter delusional nutters! It's almost a religion. It doesn't matter how many facts or how much proof you throw at them, they will continue to believe whatever they want regardless. It's actual quite scary. 

One of them has built a rocket, and managed to go up a little way and survive coming down, in an effort to prove that the earth is flat.

There is also a nutter who thinks that, based on his observation of a shadow, the Earth's axis of rotation is now a lot more inclined than it was. Strangely, when I pointed out to him that Polaris still stayed in the same position all the time, so the axis must still be pointing at it, my comment didn't get published on his website. http://www.divulgence.net/ for anyone interested.

[tauzero]

11 hours ago, bazzbass said:

well, all young people know that nasa faked the moon landings....

 

yet they believe in zombies and vampires

Of course they were faked. The proof is at http://pigeonsnest.co.uk/stuff/nasa-fakes-moon-landing.html

[Newfoundfreedom]

6 hours ago, chris_b said:

I made a change to Youtube settings that disabled the comments.

Can't remember what that change was, but I've been comment free for a couple of years.

I've gone one better and made all my videos private. So now not only can people not comment, they can't even see them. They were never really for public consumption anyway, but at the same time nothing secretive or private. It was the fact that anyone even came across them in the first place, then bothered to troll that I found surprising. There really are some sad people in the world.