Youtube launches video views audit for fake views count

The video-sharing website YouTube said it has started to "audit" the number of views a video has received. It isn't exactly a secret that with a certain amount of cash, people can pay for views, followers, and likes on their accounts and profiles on social networks. This is something Facebook and Twitter have battled for years. Now, YouTube is cracking down too.

The move is aimed at preventing users from artificially inflating view counts which, YouTube said, mislead people about the popularity of a video. 

"YouTube isn't just a place for videos, it's a place for meaningful human interaction. Whether it's views, likes, or comments, these interactions both represent and inform how creators connect with their audience," YouTube software engineer Philipp Pfeiffenberger wrote in a blog post. 

"When some bad actors try to game the system by artificially inflating view counts, they're not just misleading fans about the popularity of a video, they're undermining one of YouTube's most important and unique qualities."

“While in the past we would scan views for spam immediately after they occurred, starting today we will periodically validate the video’s view count.”

The move follows a warning from YouTube last November, against paying companies offering to bump up view counts artificially.

“If you’re considering paying someone to increase your view count, you may want to think again. You probably won’t get what you paid for,” explained that post.

“Views generated by some third-party businesses and services will not be counted on YouTube, and can lead to disciplinary action against your account, including removing your video or suspending your account.”

Facebook and Twitter have long tried to clean their sites of fake likers and followers.


 Source : Cnet