'YouTube' Has Become Obnoxious

It used to be only when you logon to YouTube you would see this...

By clicking on "I don't want to use my full name", you are then presented with this...

By clicking on "Different names" you would think that would be the end of it. Not quite. The next time you log in the same popup hounds you once again. Now it's become even more obnoxious as these same nag screens block out all possible activity till you acknowledge them over and over again every so many videos. Even after you've logged in.

As if this weren't a pain enough nearly every video worth watching comes with a commercial pre-role. On some you are NOT given the option to skip. Others you can click on skip after a 5 second countdown. Ah BUT WAIT... some posters have gamed the system by adding their own fake annotations. If you click the skip button it takes you off of YouTube to their site.

Still others are posting videos that go to 'still frame' after watching for couple of seconds telling you to click onto their own site to watch the rest of the video. This morning I got nailed by 4 out of the 6 search results for the 2013 Oscars.

Then there are those results that come up everyday in which I search for videos about Allentown or the Lehigh Valley. There are dozens and dozens of wasted videos posted by realtors, car dealerships and other commercial intrests that garner ZERO views. Most are never viewed even a week later. Take a hint.. nobody cares about your damn postings!

As if things weren't becoming crappy enough word comes down today that Youtube may be secretly planning to introduce PAY-TV."App's hidden code reveals new subscription plan for video channels-- The code, unearthed by Android operating system fan blog Android Police, seems to describe a function in the app which tells users they can only subscribe to or unsubscribe from paid channels from their desktop or laptop computers.

It reads: 'You can only subscribe to this paid channel on your computer.'

And: 'You can only unsubscribe from this paid channel on your computer.'Talking about mucking up a good thing...

The new search algorithms skew results away from long time amateur posters. The 'Browse Channels" feature now makes it nearly impossible to find users other then whom they are promoting. The average smuck doesn't have a chance to have their videos or talent watched.

In short they lost the vision of YouTube's 2005 founders Steve Chen, Chad Hurley & Jawed Karim. I know Google paid a ton of money for YouTube. I understand the need to make a profit, but if they lose the vision YouTube started out with, it will become nothing more then another pay TV channel.

A lot of today's stars got their start on YouTube. Justin Bieber, Esmee Denters, Charice, Taylor Swift & Greyson Chance to name a few.

2008: Journey's New Singer Was Found on YouTube
(Arnel Pineda of the Philippines)



Taylor Swift



Justine Bieber



Charice Pempengco -- THEN..



Charice Pempengco -- 2 Years Later!



Google, you are killing the goose that laid the golden eggs with these changes. Stars are not made by corporate designed algorithms. They are born by the people who have supported, interacted and became fans of them. If we can no longer search or find tomorrow's super talents on YouTube we will find them elsewhere. There will always be another Berry Gordy or Steve/Chad/Jawed who will create the next great upstart that will relegate YouTube to soooo yesterday.

YouTube has become so monetized, cumbersome and mainstream that they've handed an opportunity to the next entrepreneur. The kind of person(s) who will realize the heart and soul of any endeavor is to allow users to steer policy. Not the other way around.