YouTube is intensifying its fight against clickbait by removing content with misleading titles or thumbnails. As first reported by TechCrunch, the platform will now remove videos that “promise viewers something that the video doesn’t deliver.”
Read: This Lenovo ThinkBook Plus has an extendable laptop display
This policy, initially rolling out in India, will gradually expand to other countries in the coming months, according to YouTube spokesperson Jack Malon.
The focus is on “egregious” clickbait, particularly in videos related to breaking news and current events. YouTube provides examples such as a video titled “The President Resigned!” that fails to cover an actual resignation, or a “top political news” thumbnail used for a video lacking any news content.
During the initial rollout in India, YouTube will remove violating content without immediately issuing strikes to creators. However, the company emphasizes that it will prioritize educating creators and that future enforcement efforts will primarily target new video uploads.
This move demonstrates YouTube’s commitment to combating misleading content and improving the user experience for viewers.
