YouTube gives creators more power over trolls in their comments sections
LOS ANGELES -- Back off, trolls.
YouTube unveiled new tools Thursday that give video creators the ability to fight hate speech and abuse in their comments sections.
The Google-owned video platform first announced plans for the new features at VidCon earlier this year.
You May Also Like
It's part of YouTube's efforts to focus on what CEO Susan Wojcicki called "the three Cs": community, creation and creative ambition.
Page operators will now be able to pin comments to highlight positive interactions (much like users can already do on Twitter and Facebook feeds), show love to users with hearts (again like Twitter and Facebook) and create usernames to make identifying their comments easier.
"We realize that comments play a key role in growing this connection and we’re dedicated to making your conversations with your community easier and more personal," YouTube product manager Courtney Lessard wrote in a company blog post.
The new features underscore YouTube's efforts to help creators "shape the tone" of their conversations on YouTube.
Already, YouTubers can choose moderators to help them remove public comments from their videos. They can also blacklist words and phrases.
A new beta feature will also give users the ability to hold potentially inappropriate comments for review.
Topics YouTube
Saba was a Los Angeles-based reporter who covers all things digital entertainment, including YouTube, streaming services and digital influencers. Prior to that, she spent two years at the Los Angeles Times covering entertainment for the Calendar and Company Town sections. Saba grew up in Santa Monica and graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in journalism and B.A. in political science. When not reporting, she is usually binge watching shows online or looking for new coffee shops to frequent.
