this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2025
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I started to write a script for a video about how clickbait have really damaged the platform, clickbait taking it to the point the make the creators says "it's okay, we need monetize, we need to catch your attention somehow, this is the only and the good way", and I need to make some field research gathering some people opinions about it (I going to ask to some people IRL too). So what do you think? Feel free to answer any of the questions below, and add whatever come to your mind, everything it's appreciated.

  • Do you use youtube mainly?
  • Do you care about clickbait?
  • Did clickbait make you stop seeing some creator?
  • Did you use youtube but clickbait (among other things) made you to stop using it's platform?
  • Do you think clickbait is the major of the YouTube's problems?
  • Do you see something good in clickbait among the bad things? Like, which ones?
  • Could we see clickbait as a necessary evil?

Thanks again! Have a nice day.

Edit: format added to the questions.

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[–] cobysev@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

Do you use youtube mainly?

I use it pretty frequently. I wouldn't say "mainly." It's a source of education and entertainment for me, but not my only one.

Do you care about clickbait?

It's a pretty large annoyance to me, so yes, I do care about it to the extent that I wish it would go away.

Did clickbait make you stop seeing some creator?

Yes, I've purged creators from my subscription list solely because I was getting annoyed at the clickbait titles and/or title cards they used in their videos.

Did you use youtube but clickbait (among other things) made you to stop using it's platform?

I avoided YouTube for a while, partly because of all the clickbait, but also because of the amount of ads popping up on the service. I only came back when I learned how to block ads. I tolerate a certain amount of clickbait now.

Do you think clickbait is the major of the YouTube's problems?

One of the larger problems, yes. But not THE major problem of the platform. I feel issues with censorship, AI moderation, and an abundance of advertisements interrupting videos are worse issues that should be addressed.

Clickbait is more of a creator issue; it could be resolved by creators refusing to use clickbait to draw in viewers. Let the quality of their content speak for itself. But because monetized content is earned based on views, it creates an incentive to get people to click on your video no matter what, which promotes clickbait. If you're using YouTube primarily to make money, then clickbait is the default most content creators go for.

I guess YouTube could fix that by changing their monetization standard. Maybe base it on popularity ranking over time instead of number of clicks or something. But it would take time to phase out clickbait, and I doubt it would ever fully go away.

Do you see something good in clickbait among the bad things? Like, which ones?

I personally don't see any value in clickbait. It's just a way to pull your attention in an ever-distracting online world. It's the lowest common denominator of recruiting views for your content. I don't hold any respect for anyone who employs it in their content.

Could we see clickbait as a necessary evil?

Never. It's a tool used by people who don't know how to market their own content to the general public. It's using manipulation to draw your attention to content that typically doesn't live up to the clickbait title. It's an extreme action in a distraction-filled world to stand out.

With a little effort, creators could market themselves better and not need clickbait. But it's the easy way out, and most creators would rather go this route than put effort into expanding their audience.