YouTube: more thumbnail selection for partners, less for everyone else

As part of its major rule-tightening last week, YouTube informed users that their thumbnail image choices would now be offered by a computer, eliminating the potential for thumbnail "gaming."  Enterprising users had long ago figured out that the thumbnail choices the site offered came from frames that appeared 25%, 50% and 75% of the way through the video -- and they'd used that insight to insert images that played up the video's sexiest parts, or worse, didn't reflect the content of the video at all.

So thanks to these no-goodniks, the honor system has been revoked for YouTube commoners, who from now on will have to choose from three "algorithmically"-selected thumbnail options. Google and YouTube have successfully altered the definition of "algorithm," from "a set of steps that solve a problem" to "something secret that you will never know hahaha so stop trying to guess."

Luckily, YouTube's Partners -- the site's money-making patrician class -- will face no such stricture.  Partners now have the enhanced ability to upload a "custom image" for use as their thumbnail, meaning it doesn't even have to come from the video. Though the privilege comes with a warning not to go crazy with phony misleading images, the Pards will no doubt use their new power to engage in some creative thumbnailing. 

— David Sarno

Comments

[marquisdejolie]

Yes we will.

[Peter Coffin]

I am angered at the implications of the "money-making patrician class" label - not that I feel as though you called me a snob, but rather at the possibility that you called me a Roman.

I feel I may be owed an apology.

[jzjz]

However parterners like hotforwords and sxephil are still allowed to use them. And they can even upload custom ones that are not in the video. So that means youtube stars will still put those up and get more powerful. Ironically they used all these methods and more near the start to get popular in the first place. Especially sxephil. Some of them even uses refresh view cheats to get popular. And now with tons of subs, they are there to stay. And hotforwords doese it ALL the time!! Of course her content happens to be her self which is a sexy girl, BUT she can maximize it putting extra provocative shots in swimwear and in YOGA poses. Look at the yoga video for an example. This has NOTHING to do with learning words and she's clearly abusing the system. It's not like she just sits there as a typical girl and talks. No, she puts tons of these poses in. I do happen to like her channel and like the poses, LOL.

But the point is she can abuse this and no one else can. That makes it unfair. They at youtube tell partners not to go crazy with thumbnails so they are somewhat careful, BUT they still are using it from time to time for sexy girls on their thumbs etc.