YouTube has launched yet another filter tool to help users in discovering new videos and creators that they might potentially enjoy on the platform.
With the number of different discovery tools that YouTube keeps shipping out for both its mobile and desktop versions, one almost begins to think that perhaps the video-streaming social media platform wants to form a narrative of it's own for users to follow. Sure, the feature itself, that we'll discuss in a bit, seems innocuous enough, but it's yet another specific site that YouTube directs its users to instead of letting them interact with videos that they like. However, YouTube's algorithm has gotten better over the years at identifying videos that resonate more with the general, or even specific niche, communities. So, maybe not. Either way, it's yet another filter too many in this author's opinion.
The new filter is labelled New To You, and can be found alongside the grey Topics tabs that are right underneath the YouTube search bar. It's meant to be a way for users to engage with content that they otherwise would not interact with. And that's about it, really. The feature is meant to help users be a bit more explorative with the content they consume. Typically, users encounter new videos either on the Home Page, or via recommendations when already watching a video. Having a separate tab that helps you encounter and engage with such content is definitely YouTube's idea of a potentially fun time.
I say potentially, of course, because fun is by no shot a guaranteed metric. YouTube's algorithm, while definitely getting better, still has a very bad habit of pushing content at its users that is getting engagement, regardless of whether or not the actual video's quality is worth it. Take the likes of Cocomelon, or any number of videos from Logan Paul in his unfortunate heyday. YouTube pushes such creators because they're (mostly) safe to advertise with, and therefore if more users interact with them, the more money everyone makes. That is the ultimate goal, isn't it? Until the concept of Shorts, monetizing short videos wasn't even a sustainable form of career on the platform. Creators would have to rely on sponsors, and many still do.
Besides all of that, YouTube's Home Page still recommends new videos outside of a user's interest circles every now and then. That makes the new tab seem even more reductive and needless. However, let's not judge a book by its cover, and hope that the video recommendations are up to par.
Read next: YouTube Attempts to Boost Quality of Kids Content By Demonetizing Shady Accounts
With the number of different discovery tools that YouTube keeps shipping out for both its mobile and desktop versions, one almost begins to think that perhaps the video-streaming social media platform wants to form a narrative of it's own for users to follow. Sure, the feature itself, that we'll discuss in a bit, seems innocuous enough, but it's yet another specific site that YouTube directs its users to instead of letting them interact with videos that they like. However, YouTube's algorithm has gotten better over the years at identifying videos that resonate more with the general, or even specific niche, communities. So, maybe not. Either way, it's yet another filter too many in this author's opinion.
The new filter is labelled New To You, and can be found alongside the grey Topics tabs that are right underneath the YouTube search bar. It's meant to be a way for users to engage with content that they otherwise would not interact with. And that's about it, really. The feature is meant to help users be a bit more explorative with the content they consume. Typically, users encounter new videos either on the Home Page, or via recommendations when already watching a video. Having a separate tab that helps you encounter and engage with such content is definitely YouTube's idea of a potentially fun time.
I say potentially, of course, because fun is by no shot a guaranteed metric. YouTube's algorithm, while definitely getting better, still has a very bad habit of pushing content at its users that is getting engagement, regardless of whether or not the actual video's quality is worth it. Take the likes of Cocomelon, or any number of videos from Logan Paul in his unfortunate heyday. YouTube pushes such creators because they're (mostly) safe to advertise with, and therefore if more users interact with them, the more money everyone makes. That is the ultimate goal, isn't it? Until the concept of Shorts, monetizing short videos wasn't even a sustainable form of career on the platform. Creators would have to rely on sponsors, and many still do.
Besides all of that, YouTube's Home Page still recommends new videos outside of a user's interest circles every now and then. That makes the new tab seem even more reductive and needless. However, let's not judge a book by its cover, and hope that the video recommendations are up to par.
Read next: YouTube Attempts to Boost Quality of Kids Content By Demonetizing Shady Accounts