Slowly, But Surely?

While Quick To React, YouTube Responds...Not So Fast

Jul 22, 2024

It’s been well over 72 hours since YouTube issued a “community guidelines” strike to the Main Channel. Which means I can’t add new content for 14 days. Well, 11 more at this point. Not a video. Not a post. Not even a playlist.

All over a link to Wikimedia Commons. All over its bot police enforcing its ridiculous, vague “community guidelines” and “advertiser-friendly” policies.

And if the appeal is rejected? One more strike and YouTube will remove my channel. All my hard work will be for naught. Over links to art photos.

Long story short, I’m tired of this shit and hate YouTube right now.

Sorry, but I needed to say that…in print. I know it’s ridiculous to hate Artificial (un)Intelligence. Especially A(un)I employed by overly-powerful global corporations like Google that has more dollars than AdSense.

But YouTube’s scale…they’ve earned my ire.
For reacting so quickly and responding so slowly.

Now that that’s off my chest, here are a few views…for your consideration:

Feel whatever way you want about Joe Biden’s decision to exit the race and endorse Kamala Harris. But, based on my unscientific social media feed, it seems Kamala has finally added energy and urgency to the race. Only time will tell. Since we’re all political pundits now, my only note so far (besides encouraging the extremists in the party to CALM DOWN) is the campaign’s official logo could use more energy (and effort) too. I prefer this approach much better:

I wonder if any tea companies sent Drumpf a year’s supply of tea bags for his ear. Or is he done with that piece of flair already? Not making light of his assignation attempt. But I am making light of the ridiculously unhinged Republican National Circus convention last week. Elephants and clowns and felons, oh my!

Good thing I don’t watch much news anymore. But the clips I have seen lead me to believe RNC event planners had a movie night, rewatched Idiocracy, drank one too many Brawndos, and decided to turn a cautionary-tale satiric film into a reality tv show gone very wrong.

Kid Rock AND Hulk Hogan? Seems very patriotic and presidential. Not.

But what do I know? I’m just a cranky creative…who’s got a video to finish.

NOTE: I am excited about this new video! After spending most of yesterday doing image research, I have (I think) the right mix of artistic AND educational to make it fun for (most) everyone. Look for another newsletter when it’s ready.

Wishing you and yours a smooth start to your day and week.

Thanks for reading!
Clint

CHAT “SUPPORT” = WHAT’S THE POINT?

For anyone following along/interested in the trials and tribulations of a YouNoober, the transcript below is a good primer in what dealing YouTube Creator “Support” chat is really like.

Complete with bad attitude, grammar, and typos on my part.
Complete with chatbot auto-replies and delay tactics on theirs.

After waiting “in line” for almost 20 minutes, this was the alleged “support” the chatbots provided…NONE. In total, nearly an hour of time wasted.

Way to go, YouTube. Thanks for literally nothing.

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

Jul 22, 5:13 AM (Pacific Time)

5:30:41 AM Collide Press: Collide Press joined the conversation
5:30:41 AM Llana: Llana joined the conversation
5:30:44 AM Llana: Hi my name is Llana, how are you doing today?
5:31:17 AM Collide Press: Hi. Clint here. Honestly, I'm frustrated a. Need my appeal reviewed.
5:32:04 AM Llana: Hello there, Clint.
5:32:22 AM Llana: I see that you're reaching out about your appeal.
5:32:27 AM Llana: I know how important it is for you to have this issue sorted out. No worries, I got you and I'm more than willing to check this out for you.
5:32:41 AM Llana: Can you tell me more about it?
5:33:17 AM Collide Press: Well, I gotta strike for linking to a Wikimedia Commons source of art photos. Seemss dumb to me.
5:33:31 AM Collide Press: Appealed on Friday morning and have heard nothing.
5:34:20 AM Collide Press: External links are a problem. And so is the overzealous bot policing. Please stop treating creators like children.
5:35:13 AM Collide Press: Got it? I'm tired and frustrated. This has cost me time, money, and sleep.
5:35:17 AM Llana: Alright, thanks for bringing this up to our attention.
5:36:24 AM Llana: I understand that this is frustrating you. Rest assured that I'll look into this here.
5:36:33 AM Collide Press: Ok.
5:37:34 AM Llana: For me to better address it out for you, may I ask for a screenshot with your appeal?
5:38:26 AM Collide Press: Screenshot 2024-07-22 at 5.38.12 AM.png
5:38:50 AM Collide Press: Seems like an unnecessary step, but whatever. Please look into this.
5:39:30 AM Llana: Alright, thanks for the screenshot.
5:39:40 AM Llana: To help you better with this concern, I'll go ahead and check this matter further on my end. Is it okay if I place this chat on hold for a few minutes while I look into this?
5:39:48 AM Collide Press: Fine.
5:40:39 AM Llana: Great! Thank you. Please stay connected while I check it out here.
5:41:01 AM Collide Press: ✌
5:44:42 AM Llana: Thanks for patiently waiting. I'm still looking into this for you. Will it be fine if I ask for a few minutes more?
5:45:11 AM Collide Press: ok. Chat support always asks for more time. It's part of the script.
5:45:54 AM Collide Press: Also, all the auto replies are annoying and unhelpful. Cut to the chase and please don't make this take longer than it needs to.
5:46:43 AM Llana: I completely understand your point here. Thank you, please stay on the line while I look into this.
5:47:02 AM Collide Press: 👍
5:48:21 AM Collide Press: brb
5:48:40 AM Llana: Alright, please take your time.
5:50:14 AM Collide Press: Back. Please don't take any more than necessary. 72+ hours seems more than enough to get this reviewed.
5:50:46 AM Collide Press: YouTube reacts swiftly and responds slowly.
5:52:35 AM Collide Press: We're at over 20 minutes and you've literally shared no information. Seems...efficient.
5:54:23 AM Llana: Alright, thanks a lot for patiently waiting and we apologize for the long hold.
5:54:52 AM Llana: We completely understand that you need urgency for this issue.
5:55:44 AM Collide Press: If you did, you'd drop the auto replies completely.
5:57:07 AM Llana: As per checking here, I can confirm that you already have submitted your appeal. However, we cannot provide any specific timeframe on when you can receive a response.
5:57:41 AM Collide Press: Great. So you're as useless as the other bots. Thanks for wasting more of my time.
5:57:42 AM Llana: We'd like you to know that delays may happen as our backend team has been receiving bulk requests.
5:57:58 AM Llana: Rest assured that our team is doing their best to get back to you as soon as possible.
5:58:06 AM Collide Press: Maybe it's because you're bots over police some ridiculous policies.
5:58:36 AM Collide Press: Yawn. End ths so I can get the transcript. Docunmenting all this bullshit.
6:00:37 AM Llana: Alright, I'm sorry if you feel that way. Please know that we also have limitations here. Also, we are just following are terms here.
6:00:51 AM Llana: Anyways, thanks for reaching out.
6:00:59 AM Llana: Have a good one!
6:01:03 AM Llana: Llana left the conversation
6:01:04 AM Llana: Thanks for contacting YouTube. Have a great day.
6:01:04 AM Llana: Llana ended the conversation