YouTube has started sense 2005, but I haven't noticed it sense 2007. For 9 years I have noticed an entire site that I am very passionate about change into the worst yet popular place on the internet. I'm not saying this as a way of attention or to cause "YouTube Drama" which is mostly bullshit in my opinion. But I'm merely saying this as a small attempt at bringing attention to the true issue of the site. It's not faulty copyright claims nor the "issue" of YouTube Drama. But something I believe is irreversible and is too late to fix.
This site has gotten too big for it's own good. Let me take you on a history lesson. I discovered this site in 2007 when me and my sister were looking at random, funny videos like Salad Fingers & Charlie the Unicorn. A year later when I was 12 I figured out I could make my own account on the site and make my own videos on there. It was a big passion of mine, even when I was a child. When I was in the single digits of life I used to "borrow" my grandmothers camera to make silly little skits and videos (unfortunately none of them are available sense they all burnt up in a house fire) but that's when my creative fuse started. In Intermediate school I made a small comic called Ultra-Z. Even when I was that little I was trying so hard to be as creative as possible. Then I made a Youtube account called Jetray102. It was something magical to me, even if I had no idea on how to use it (I actually thought the "Upload" button was about using someone else's content so I used a site called Onetruemedia.com which is now shut down) In 2012 my mom deleted the email connected to my YouTube account (unknowingly) I was upset but my sister's friend at the time let me used her email to make a new account called Jetray103. 2 Years later I wanted to start fresh so, inspired by the recent boom of horror in 2012 and the Creepypasta character Slender Man, I created GothicSlenderman; so far my most successful creation. I'm still using it even after 4 years. I also recently announced that I'm starting a new account for original, story driven content call Hotel Room CIII (Formerly GothicWolfTail) But that's when I realized how bad YouTube has become!
When YouTube first started in 2008 it's publicity system was based on views (IF you're video got a lot views then it would have a bigger chance of getting noticed.) But in 2011 they changed it to "Minutes watch" & "Upload frequency" Which basically means you had to upload a 10 minute video everyday to stand a chance in YouTube (Nowadays it's a 30 minute video 3 times a day) This of course started a shift on the site. Pre-existing YouTubers had to adapt and new YouTubers had to find a way to get noticed. Thus Let's Playing was born. Now, this existed before hand (as Walkthroughs) But it quickly exploded when Pewdiepie & Markiplier started playing games like Slender & Amnesia: The Dark Decent. This also started the big boom of horror and the discovery of Creepypasta. But then there were too many let's players to even count! KSI, Jacksepticeye, Cryaotic, Lsshadowlady, Mangaminx, cinnamontoastken, ect. And the pre-existing YouTubers became desprite! Smosh now has to create "behind the scenes" videos for almost everything they create, Fred up and sold his account, Annoy Orange now has a weekly schedule (INCLUDING A LET'S PLAY SEGMENT) & some others had to make side channels for Let's Plays. Makeebad35 -> Pwnageshow, Tobuscus -> Toby Plays, ect. Then came reaction videos (they existed before but not like this) These current "Reactors" now steal other people's content, without permission, and show the full video with little to no reaction (despite being called REACTION CHANNELS), and taking the monetization. Now you may be thinking "People watch what they want to watch" and that's true; YouTube is not a random button which sends you to MrNobody's videos. But what these people who use that argument don't realize is that most of the videos that get in their recommended section or highly rated section are ONLY videos that get over 10,000 views (something very difficult for new users) YouTube now is like a faulty restaurant menu. You go in and that give you the menu, but the menu only has 1/5 of what's really available (and this is the first time you're at the place and they neglect to tell you that you're missing most of the menu) YouTube IS that faulty restaurant menu.
They're literally dozens, if not hundreds, of YouTubers who now haze over 1 million subs, even if they do not deserve it and just abuse the new "publicity system". It's really not fair for new users, especially when company's like Disney, Warner Bros & Universal are now putting their TV Shows & Movies on YouTube to be payed for. How can a new channel compete with an already successful movie or TV Show? Most animators, skit directors & indie film directors stand almost no chance on the site. But don't worry, there is a way to get noticed even if you don't upload videos every day. Just parody something that's currently popular! Like all of the YouTubers who make videos on Five Nights at Freddy's, Undertale or something currently relevant. Every wonder why piemations or Grim TV got noticed? While David Firth (The creator of Salad Fingers till has only 1/2 million subs) or Eddsworld JUST got to a million? Also If it really is the "We watch what we want to watch" thing, then how come users like I Hate Everything, Rebeltaxi or Jordan Underneath haven't made 1Million subs despite the years they've been on YouTube and Jinx the Reactor (One of the most hated YouTubers) got over 1Million subs in over a few months? It's not that stupid "We watch what we want to watch thing"! It's that you watch what's popular and think you have full control, when really you don't.
And about this "YouTube Drama" thing. It's just like the who Kim Kardashian or "Nikki Minaj vs. Miley Cyrus" shit. No one should care about it. But at this point, too many people idolize YouTubers to see what kind of site YouTube was meant to be. The Toby Turner pedophile allegations, Keemstar, Leafyishere, I've just about had enough of it. At this point YouTube is not a creative site any more. It's more of a running track to see who can make the longest content the fastest while relying on popular subjects and making other people trip on the track. It really isn't fair. False copyright claims and YouTube "Drama" should be the least of our worries at this point. But is there anyway to reverse this? No, it's too late. This site has gotten too big for it's own good. And there is no way to reverse the effects unless someone makes an equally good video uploading site to rival YouTube. But for the past 11 years, Yahoo, Zippcast & Dailymotion have been unable to do that. I don't even take this site as seriously as I did back then. I see no point in being creative any more. Who knows, maybe DeviantArt & Tumblr could be next. Greed is the route of this problem. Greed of subs, greed of monetization, when this site is meant to be a place where people are allowed to share their creative thoughts. But It's not like that any more. That's why I considered leaving this firetrucked up place I used to love. But I don't know how to. Videos are one of the only ways I figured out how to express myself. But I can't do that when there are reactors, let's players & Tv shows ALWAYS over shadowing me, even though I've been on this site most likely 3 times longer than them. But I've gotten almost nothing despite how hard I've worked on my series & characters. At this point, I have no idea on what I'm even doing when this system is so broken and no one really realizes it. I'm not saying I deserve more than anyone. I just wish there was a better balance. That's all I ask. And that's why I'm leaving. I can't do this any more. There's no reason to really try when the effort I put in my work and characters means nothing to the rest of the world and some guy who plays an Amnesia mod gets more attention for faking a few screams.
I want to fill my passion through my webcomic "Alice Darksin" and literature. I don't care how "unpopular" I become. I just wanted a healthy way to express myself.
This dark time came at the worst time. I have no money, I have a job that barely pays or gives me a proper schedule, I have to live with my family despite the fact I was living on my own for about a year. I don't need the bias and unbalanced views of this site any more. All I wanted was a release of creativity.
- The 13th Kenpachi, Organization member XV, Captain Swagblader and 10 others
-
13
