YouTube has implemented the promised overhaul of its much derided comment system, utilising Google+ for moderation and tracking.
Back at the end of September, YouTube announced plans to scrap its existing comment system, which tended to attract the very worst of internet pond life. Now those plans have come to fruition.
The new system will push relevant comments to the top of the pile, rather than prioritising the latest random semi-literate rant just because they were made recently. This means that comments from “people you care about” will receive top billing.
YouTube defines these people you care about as “the video’s creator, popular personalities, engaged discussions about the video, and people in your Google+ Circles.” Google’s own social network effort is now at the heart of the YouTube commenting system.
It’s still possible to view comments in the traditional timeline-oriented manner, but you’ll have to manually select ‘Newest First’ from a drop-down menu.
When it comes to posting comments, you no longer need fear a hijacking from any old internet troll. You now have the power to make your comments private, so that only your Google+ Circles can see it.
Those who are actually posting videos now also have greater powers of comment moderation. You can opt to review comments before posting, block certain words, and automatically approve comments from certain trusted users.
So, in order to comment on YouTube from now on you’ll have to link your Google+ account to the service – if you haven’t already. It’s been an option since last year.
Next, read our Google Play Music All Access review
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
