Impersonation has been an enormous problem on YouTube for quite some time now. Popular content creators on the platform often face impostors that don’t disclose their lack of affiliation, or they hide them out of sight. YouTube has now changed this policy because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up making the system fairer than might have been the case otherwise.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that not all impersonators have malicious intent. Some of them are clearly trying to show their support for the YouTuber by paying homage to them, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, this can still lead many to assume that the account is directly affiliated with the creator in question.
Hence, channels will now have to disclose whether or not they are affiliated or a fan account within the channel name itself. This will considerably reduce the prevalence of impersonation on the platform, since malicious actors won’t be able to hide behind an ostensible fan label that is impossible to locate with all things having been considered and taken into account.
Fan channels might need to update their handle over the next sixty days, otherwise they might unwittingly engage in a violation of YouTube policy. The platform will inform them about any violations that are incurred, but a failure to comply will result in the channel getting banned.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out on YouTube. Impersonators have been involved with scams in the past, and creators need all the help that they can get to keep them at bay. Using the names of notable creators is a popular tactic among scammers since it lends an air of legitimacy to their activities, and steps like this are crucial for making YouTube a safer place. As the platform continues to grow, so too will the importance of cleaning things up and preventing scammers and identity thieves from committing their harmful actions.
Read next: YouTube Is Back With An Array Of Exciting Rollouts Including New Volume Normalizers And 2x Playback Video Speed
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that not all impersonators have malicious intent. Some of them are clearly trying to show their support for the YouTuber by paying homage to them, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, this can still lead many to assume that the account is directly affiliated with the creator in question.
Hence, channels will now have to disclose whether or not they are affiliated or a fan account within the channel name itself. This will considerably reduce the prevalence of impersonation on the platform, since malicious actors won’t be able to hide behind an ostensible fan label that is impossible to locate with all things having been considered and taken into account.
Fan channels might need to update their handle over the next sixty days, otherwise they might unwittingly engage in a violation of YouTube policy. The platform will inform them about any violations that are incurred, but a failure to comply will result in the channel getting banned.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out on YouTube. Impersonators have been involved with scams in the past, and creators need all the help that they can get to keep them at bay. Using the names of notable creators is a popular tactic among scammers since it lends an air of legitimacy to their activities, and steps like this are crucial for making YouTube a safer place. As the platform continues to grow, so too will the importance of cleaning things up and preventing scammers and identity thieves from committing their harmful actions.
Read next: YouTube Is Back With An Array Of Exciting Rollouts Including New Volume Normalizers And 2x Playback Video Speed
