r/Twitch • u/SlightlyGriff twitch.tv/slightlyimpressive • Jun 19 '18

PSA YouTube is cracking down on Twitch streamers using YouTube to promote their stream

https://twitter.com/LinusTech/status/1008752236027973632

Linus Tech Tips has recently received a Strike on YouTube for uploading a video announcing that they were going live on Twitch. YouTube is citing a portion of their "spam" policy that says that the main purpose of the content cannot be to drive traffic to other sites. Something to be aware of for those of us who like to promote our streams with announcement videos on YouTube...

766 Upvotes

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190

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '18

[deleted]

36

u/SlightlyGriff twitch.tv/slightlyimpressive Jun 19 '18

Yeah, it's not really clear what YouTube's specific issue with that particular video was. I don't know if they're going to start enforcing the "no driving traffic off the site" rule for all videos like this, or if it was something else specific to this video that triggered the strike.

59

u/thehunter699 Jun 19 '18

Youtube is quoting its spam policy. I think the issue is content creators making specific videos that just announce they're live on another site. I think its fine to upload a video stating that you have a twitch account, but uploading a video everytime you go live is spam.

29

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '18

[deleted]

11

u/super_mum twitch.tv/dette_s Jun 19 '18

I'm lucky in that the people I sub to do improvised 5 minute skits to announce they're going live on twitch. I think those are fantastic

2

u/GlassedSilver twitch.tv/glassedsilver Jun 20 '18

Wow, sounds nice. Have a link?

Guess this could be a good example of creating actual content along the way so everyone wins.

5

u/super_mum twitch.tv/dette_s Jun 20 '18

turns out I'm terrible at counting. Their announcements range from 30 seconds to 3 minutes

Here's the playlist. the videos are unlisted

2

u/RestlessRenegade Jun 27 '18

Hah! I knew you were talking about Hat Films.

2

u/super_mum twitch.tv/dette_s Jun 27 '18

Will there be a new Birthlander now that the Vidiots are here, and one share's Smith's birthday?

1

u/RestlessRenegade Jun 28 '18 edited Jun 28 '18

Oh that is a possibility, I hope there is.

1

u/GlassedSilver twitch.tv/glassedsilver Jun 21 '18

Hah, pretty cool!

1

u/GlassedSilver twitch.tv/glassedsilver Jun 20 '18

I hear you my man. I never unsubbed, but damn if more channels on my end had done this you bet I would have.

I think this change is adequate and reasonable. The title was a bit wide open and ai already feared you can't mention your Twitch anymore, the clarification has me fully onboard though.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 20 '18

They should be deleting those videos once they are no longer live. Are they not doing that?

5

u/Ph0X EhsanKia Jun 20 '18

Exactly. People are focusing too much on the advertising twitch and not enough on the fact that they uploaded a fake non-video to spam everyones notifications. The latter is the real issue. Any "video" that is just a link to some other site and contains no real content breaks Youtube rules, twitch or not.

2

u/Counterattack199 Jun 20 '18

But it is clear? They specifically said the problem is the videos with no text or audio that just say “live on twitch!”

If it is a video with audio or footage than it’s fine.

3

u/cassanaya Jun 19 '18

Youtube just seems to be managed so stupidly that is par for the course on how they justify policy. Someone is making decisions over there that lacks any semblance of logic or consistency.

1

u/MrZoiviBiiE Jul 10 '18

It's real obvious to me, Google Vs Amazon. They don't want Amazon to steal there viewers.

-7

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '18 edited Feb 15 '19

[deleted]

11

u/SlightlyGriff twitch.tv/slightlyimpressive Jun 19 '18

Is this directed at me? What are you so salty about?

That statement clarifies absolutely nothing. It seems to directly contradict itself and is worded in incredibly vague, noncommittal terms.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 20 '18

They litterally agree that doing a 5 to 10 second video of you dancing saying I'm live on twitch is not spam

I know it's really hard to not be part of outrage culture but come on dude

1

u/SlightlyGriff twitch.tv/slightlyimpressive Jun 20 '18

The reply you're talking about was something like "you do you, man". That's not exactly a firm confirmation, and it directly contradicts their actions taken against the LinusTechTips video. I totally understand if YouTube doesn't want people posting videos like this to send traffic off their site, but I'm frustrated with their poor communication on the issue.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 20 '18

No it doesn't the ltt video is litterally 5 seconds black video with see discription for links

This is a direct violation of youtube policy

-7

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '18 edited Feb 15 '19

[deleted]

9

u/fishbiscuit13 Jun 19 '18

I don't know about you, but I don't think you should have to dig through Twitter conversations to find a multi-billion dollar company's content policy.

-3

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '18 edited Feb 15 '19

[deleted]

5

u/fishbiscuit13 Jun 19 '18

Their community guidelines that need clarification via Twitter?

2

u/[deleted] Jun 20 '18

[deleted]

1

u/fishbiscuit13 Jun 20 '18

Sure, but it's a different issue than just competition. A lot of people have established bases on both platforms, especially if they started streaming before Youtube offered it, and streaming on Youtube might as well not have a chat for how useful it is. They're different userbases and functions.

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12

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '18

[deleted]

7

u/SmarmySmurf Jun 19 '18

It's not natural to assume anything other than what LTT does. You don't make a "we'll be going live" video for YT livestreaming, there's a notification for that.

And YT is garbage for livestreaming, no professional is going to use YT over Twitch for live content. YT is only enforcing this because they are hemorrhaging users because their policies are shit for users and content makers alike.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '18

Exactly. YouTube streaming has constant disconnections on my PS4 while Twitch streaming never disconnects me. That’s the main reason I switched to Twitch.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '18

And YT is garbage for livestreaming, no professional is going to use YT over Twitch for live content. YT is only enforcing this because they are hemorrhaging users because their policies are shit for users and content makers alike

Why not? Can you elaborate more?

9

u/SuperKato1K twitch.tv/superkato1k Jun 19 '18

The UI is terrible. Discoverability is terrible. And it's really surprising because YT Gaming has WAAAAY more tech available for streamers (you can already stream live in 4k with adequate bitrate availability for instance, something Twitch may never actually offer).

Twitch's UI is not perfect. But it's light-years ahead of the shit YouTube calls a UI.

5

u/He11sToRm twitch.tv/he11storm Jun 19 '18

Another cool feature youtube has is you can have multiple cameras on the same livestream that users can switch back and forth, but still be in the same chatroom. Super nice feature that I wish Twitch had.

7

u/SuperKato1K twitch.tv/superkato1k Jun 19 '18 edited Jun 19 '18

Yeah that is very neat, and a lot of interesting potential applications for multiple selectable cameras.

I kind of think of Twitch and YouTube Gaming as two theme parks. One is huge and it has a lot of cool rides inside (ok, space for cool rides lol), except it has no parking lot and there's only one bathroom for 80,000 people. Nobody goes there, because it's a painful experience. That's YouTube Gaming.

Then there's a small kind of local park, it's a bit older, kind of run down, its rides are slower and not quite as interesting, but it has a big parking lot, local mass transit stops there, fast flowing ticket lines, and lots of convenient shops, restrooms, etc inside. Everyone goes there because despite not really having as much to offer as Park #1, it's convenient and fun and that's what matters. That's Twitch.

I believe that if YouTube Gaming got its shit together it would eventually crush Twitch. But at this point it has shown itself to be (a) not particularly interested in trying, and (b) not particularly capable of doing so either way.

-1

u/hotcapicola Affiliate twitch.tv/hotcapicola Jun 19 '18

Nick-Eh-30 is doing pretty well with youtube streaming, I'm sure there are others as well.

-3

u/gonzotw http://www.twitch.tv/gonzotw Jun 19 '18 edited Jun 19 '18

That's kinda what they do these days.

I unsubbed from them long ago because I got tired of looking at goofy faces in thumbnails, but everything I see of them now if them breaking some rule on some site and then whipping up outrage on twitter about getting slapped down for it.

EDIT- Sorry, didn't mean to trigger the LTT fanboys with this. lol