If you are a YouTuber and a content creator who has a habit of posting videos with 'egregious clickbait' in the title or thumbnail, then you might be in trouble. Google owned YouTube has announced stricter measures targeted at Indian content creators who upload videos with such clickbait in the title or thumbnail. YouTube in a blog post on Wednesday said, “Egregious clickbait occurs when the video’s title or thumbnail includes promises or claims that aren’t delivered within the video itself, especially when that content focuses on breaking news or current events.”


The video streaming giant added that videos with such clickbaity appearance can “leave viewers feeling tricked, frustrated, or even misled – particularly in moments when they come to YouTube in search for important or timely information.”


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YouTube has announced that videos discussing breaking news or current events will now face stricter scrutiny. Using sensational headlines like “The President Resigned” or “Top Political News” in thumbnails, primarily designed to lure viewers into clicking, will be considered a violation of the platform's policies.


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YouTube To Take Action


Initially, YouTube will remove content where the title or thumbnail misleads viewers by offering something the video itself fails to provide. However, the platform stated that channels will not face strikes right away, allowing creators time to adapt to the updated guidelines.


YouTube has yet to specify how it defines videos related to breaking news or current events or the criteria it will use to identify excessive clickbait. Furthermore, the platform has not detailed the process for creators to appeal takedowns and potentially restore their removed content.