YouTube has been accused of hypocrisy after abruptly pulling out of a key audience measurement system that tracks viewership across the UK's TV, streaming, and social media platforms. The decision comes months after YouTube began allowing its content to be included in viewer measurements alongside traditional broadcasters.
The measure, which was jointly developed by Barb (Broadcasters' Audience Research Board) and Kantar Media, provides a standardized way for advertisers to compare the viewing habits of different platforms. However, YouTube's sudden withdrawal from the system has raised eyebrows among industry insiders, with many questioning why the company would take such drastic action.
The move is particularly puzzling given that YouTube has been actively courted by advertisers in recent years, touting itself as a viable alternative to traditional TV and streaming services. The platform's owner, Google, has even sent "cease and desist" letters to Barb and Kantar Media, citing breaches of its terms of service.
"This is odd behavior from YouTube," said Lindsey Clay, CEO of Thinkbox, the industry body behind the UK's TV advertising spend. "If they want to be treated like a traditional broadcaster, they need to be transparent about their data."
The fallout from YouTube's decision has already been felt, with Barb figures revealing that viewership on YouTube surpassed that of the BBC for the first time in December. The platform's dominance is likely due to its vast library of short-form content, which appeals to a different viewing demographic.
Industry experts are also concerned about the implications of YouTube's withdrawal from the measurement system. "Cross-media measurement is inherently complex," said Simon Michaelides, director general of ISBA, the industry body representing UK advertisers. "But we would hope for the benefit of advertisers that a resolution can be found."
The decision has sparked heated debate in the industry, with many questioning why YouTube felt it necessary to pull out of the system. As one analyst noted, "YouTube's actions seem designed to avoid scrutiny, rather than embracing transparency and accountability."
The measure, which was jointly developed by Barb (Broadcasters' Audience Research Board) and Kantar Media, provides a standardized way for advertisers to compare the viewing habits of different platforms. However, YouTube's sudden withdrawal from the system has raised eyebrows among industry insiders, with many questioning why the company would take such drastic action.
The move is particularly puzzling given that YouTube has been actively courted by advertisers in recent years, touting itself as a viable alternative to traditional TV and streaming services. The platform's owner, Google, has even sent "cease and desist" letters to Barb and Kantar Media, citing breaches of its terms of service.
"This is odd behavior from YouTube," said Lindsey Clay, CEO of Thinkbox, the industry body behind the UK's TV advertising spend. "If they want to be treated like a traditional broadcaster, they need to be transparent about their data."
The fallout from YouTube's decision has already been felt, with Barb figures revealing that viewership on YouTube surpassed that of the BBC for the first time in December. The platform's dominance is likely due to its vast library of short-form content, which appeals to a different viewing demographic.
Industry experts are also concerned about the implications of YouTube's withdrawal from the measurement system. "Cross-media measurement is inherently complex," said Simon Michaelides, director general of ISBA, the industry body representing UK advertisers. "But we would hope for the benefit of advertisers that a resolution can be found."
The decision has sparked heated debate in the industry, with many questioning why YouTube felt it necessary to pull out of the system. As one analyst noted, "YouTube's actions seem designed to avoid scrutiny, rather than embracing transparency and accountability."
i mean they just go from lettin their content be trackt by barb & kantar media 2 then pull outta it all of a suds 
like whats up wit dat 
its got every1 confused. ppl r sayin they dont wanna b transparent about ther data but its not like its some deep dark secret 
the industry bodies r havin a fit bout this & its causin all sorts of drama 
i think ytubers r just tryna stay above the fray & avoid gettin scrutinized 
guess thats just how u roll w/ a giant company like google 
I'm not surprised that YouTube is doing this, tbh 
. They've been playing both sides for ages, and it's like they're trying to create a level playing field where their own data doesn't get scrutinized 
. It's just weird that they'd want to pull out of the system now when they were just starting to be included in the first place 
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. But at the same time, they don't want advertisers to know too much about their viewing habits because that would give them leverage 
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. And now that Barb figures show YouTube is beating out the BBC in terms of viewership, I'm sure the platform will try to spin this as some kind of "revolution" 
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. I get that it might've been a hassle, but you'd think they'd want to keep the transparency and accountability part 
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. Either way, I'm not sure what's going on here 
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Like, what's good? You can't have it both ways, you know? If you want to be treated like a real broadcaster, show us the numbers! 
I mean, Lindsey Clay said it best - "if you want to be treated like a traditional broadcaster, you need to be transparent about your data". 
. Maybe it's not entirely clear what their goals are right now? Could be a strategic move or maybe they're just feeling a bit uncertain 
And now everyone's like "oh no, what does this mean for advertisers?" Um, I think it means that YouTube is just trying to hide something... 
. The fact that they're citing breaches of terms of service is just laughable 
? or maybe you'll make a new measurement system that only tracks views on cat videos 
. either way, this is gonna be good for us viewers... said no one ever 
. I get why they might want to avoid scrutiny, but isn't transparency part of being a legit player in the industry? 
it's just gonna make things harder for advertisers who are already struggling to keep up with the changing landscape of online content...