Too Much Free Time

Too Much Free Time

by Mike Masnick


Filed Under:
audio, comments, features, xkcd

Companies:
google, youtube



YouTube Taking Feature Advice From XKCD

from the ok,-that's-just-awesome dept

While any open online forum has its share of trolls and poorly written comments, YouTube is infamous for having a quality level below pretty much everywhere else. The (absolutely worth reading) online comic strip, xkcd ran a strip recently joking about one possible "cure" for this: having a virus written that would read a YouTuber's comment outloud before requesting final approval to post it. The idea was that any sane person would recognize how idiotic their comments sounded:

Listen to Yourself
Apparently, the folks at YouTube/Google thought it was such a good idea that they've actually created just such a button. Of course, those who need to use it most probably won't do so. At least with the xkcd version, the virus forced people to listen to their comments.

27 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

Reader Comments (rss)

(Flattened / Threaded)

  1. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 10:35am

    Another feature suggestion

    if a particular persons comment moderation history falls below a certain threshold, youtube could kick off mandatory listen-before-accept feature.

    That way the people that really need to hear themselves will be forced to, and everyone else won't.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  2. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 10:37am
    by Anonymous Coward

    no comment

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  3. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 10:41am

    Re:

    by Anonymous Coward

    Why would you anonymously comment "no comment"?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  4. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 10:44am
    by Anonymous Coward

    This, along with gmail's recent "Mail Goggles" thing has led me to believe that Google are the most awesome company ever, purely on principle.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  5. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 10:53am

    Re:

    by Anonymous Coward

    Google is the new... oh, wait, that was Google, too.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  6. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 11:07am
    by Anonymous Coward

    BuT CaN wE StILl TyPe LiKe THiS?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  7. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 11:13am

    Re: Re:

    by Dave

    What would you anonymously comment on that person's anonymous comment about not making a comment?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  8. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 11:14am

    It could be worse...

    by Twinrova

    ... these people could be doing this in real life.

    "Irregardless" is a prime example of this. *shiver* That word makes me cringe about as much as seeing someone wearing socks with sandals.

    I don't visit YouTube, but this sounds interesting.

    Mike, add it here?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  9. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 11:36am

    Re: Re: Re:

    by Anonymous Coward

    The anonymous bit wasn't my concern. Why would ANYONE comment, "no comment"?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  10. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 11:44am

    Re: Re: Re: Re:

    by Anonymous Coward

    no comment

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  11. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 11:47am

    Re: Re: Re: Re:

    by Another Anonymous Coward

    I refuse to dignify that with a response

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  12. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 11:49am

    Re: Re:

    by Anonymous Coward

    no comment

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  13. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 12:00pm

    this is full of epic win

    by another mike

    I've seen this all over the place (/., fark, digg, i think it was even on wired) but I saw it on xkcd first. I hope Randall has a good webhost.
    The best part of this feature is that youtube moved the submit button over and put the read-it button in its place. there've been lots of comments about how people, not noticing the buttons have moved, thought it really was a virus.
    I still like the firefox addon that hides mispelled comments.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  14. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 12:03pm

    Re: Re:

    by Anonymous Coward

    if you think about it really hard your brain may solve divide by zero.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  15. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 12:24pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

    by Anonymous Coward

    Because

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  16. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 12:30pm
    by Anonymous Coward

    I personally think this is one of the best, if not most humorous, developments in the last 6 months.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  17. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 12:33pm

    Viva XKCD

    by D$

    I have enjoyed XKCD for quiet some time, and I am so very happy that a company as cool as Google is paying attention as well. XKCD is the reason I'm getting my first Linux machine, and why I'm currently learning python. Keep up the good work!

    D$

    P.S. Thank you techdirt for brining this to our attention, I haven't been to YouTube in ages, and will have to check it out now. I wonder if the comments are going to get worse now with this "feature" though. my favorite back in elementary school was to run "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" through the reader program, ah what shenanigans I got up to... *sigh*

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  18. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 12:45pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

    by Anonymous Coward

    You make my head hurt, too.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  19. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 12:50pm
    by Anonymous Coward

    I gave the feature a try and was summarily disappointed that my comment was not presented by the soothing voice of Morgan Freeman.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  20. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 12:50pm
    by Lucretious

    While any open online forum has its share of trolls and poorly written comments....

    don't talk about me that way Mike.....

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  21. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 12:52pm

    Hey

    by icon Killer_Tofu (profile)

    What is to stop people from just turning off their volume? That is, if they were absolutely forced to listen, like a virus.

    Anyways, @TwinRova
    HEY! What is wrong with wearing sandals with socks? Keeps the feet from getting sweaty in the sandals (and I am not talking flip flops either, I could see them, but I mean snap on sandals, not even velco) Yet still has more air flow than shoes. Or are those not considered sandals?
    I may have to fight you over this one. =P

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  22. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 2:20pm

    Re: Re:

    by Anonymous Coward

    because thats how he rolls

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  23. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 3:02pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

    by Anonymous Coward

    Seriously, get the camera's out of my face. No Comment.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  24. Oct 9th, 2008 @ 8:09pm

    Re: Viva XKCD

    Can you fly yet?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  25. Oct 10th, 2008 @ 10:12am

    Re: Re: Viva XKCD

    by Devon Boling (A.K.A. D$)

    No, but I can get the computer to greet you by name, and if your name is Travis it will tell you it doesn't want you to get AIDS. Besides, I didn't think that happened until you learned LISP. I could be mistaken though... I'll have to go back and read through the site again.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  26. Oct 10th, 2008 @ 10:29am

    Re: Re: Re: Viva XKCD

    by Devon Boling (A.K.A. D$)

    Oh! yeah, ok! Nope can't fly. I could have sworn something awesome happens when you learn LISP as well. I think the flight thing is because he learned it in one night. I'll probably never get to fly... But it's something to hope for! *sigh*

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  27. Jun 11th, 2009 @ 2:23pm
    by Anonymous Coward

    hey

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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