COPPA Confusion

I guess that I don’t quite understand this new COPPA rule on YouTube?
I have been puzzled that our channel had remain uncensored up until today, but I am even more confused now, since YouTube has only selectively disabled comments on some of our videos...
Only some of our Thomas videos have been effected, but many more of our Thomas videos still have, and allow comments, so I don’t understand why today when I posted a non-Thomas video, the comments were disabled immediately???

Yea!! I fixed it!!...I hope, if not temporarily?
There is a new second app “YouTube studio” that must be installed on your phone to manage the new COPPA system.
I changed some settings and was able to enable comments again!
For how long IDK, but it’s fixed for now.
...we shall see.

How did you do that? Or did you change change the video from Made for Kids?

Everything is so confusing about that... If the video is for kids, then the comments are suddenly disabled? Why on earth that happened? How exactly that protects children?
I changed the settings in Studio to "not for children" in every video to enable the comments again.

I will try to explain what I have come to understand...might be a bit.

It seems to have started because of YouTube (Google) got caught a couple years ago when they were breaking an US Law about gathering information on minors. They were collecting information on all YouTube viewers as far as their likes and directing Ads specifically for their interests and views through an algorithm that YouTube had in place. While this is OK for adults it is against a U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Law about protecting children, COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act). YouTube was fined 1.7 Million Dollars and they instructed that any further abuse would result in more sever punishment. The FTC also said that they are not going to rely on YouTube monitoring their creators alone and that they will be monitoring and fining them AND the YouTube creators. Meaning that the FTC will COME AFTER US and not YouTube if the creator labeled their videos as not for kids. This is where the Law is very vague. The FTC says a video that a child MAY Show Interest in will be in violation if its not labeled for kids. This is where most have a problem as its not specifically defined as what Interest means as a child could be interested in real cars, building houses or science for example.

Now if you think that since you aren't located in the US that you lucked out...you think wrong. Sure, the FTC has no jurisdiction over you and can't fine you but they will go after YouTube and YouTube can then completely remove you and all your videos from their site with no warning and no explanation. One day you are there and the next day you are gone, no contact no nothing. Since last summer YouTube has been reaching out multiple times to all creators telling them that this was going to happen. My suggestion to all is that if you don't already have your videos backed up, you should do it now.

YouTube has an algorithm in place now that it is scanning all the billions of videos and changing their designation to Made for Kids when the algorithm thinks it is. Now here is the liability comes into play where YouTube wants to put all the liability on you, the creator so they wont be fined again. If you change the designation back from what YouTube changed it to and the FTC through its monitoring can now come after you and I am sure that in addition to that and to appease the FTC YouTube will remove your Channel and all its videos.

This does really hurt us as under the new Made for Kids all..

The Comment section is disabled
No Playlists
NO NOTIFICATIONS BELL
No personalized ads
No Live Chats

No notifications means that your subscribers aren't going to know you uploaded a new video unless they check you channel daily.

It also really affects the big Toy Channels adversely as their monitizations will drop about 90% pretty much ending making a living out of toy videos. They will not get the Ad revenue as YouTube will throttle any ads.

Everything that I have read from YouTube says that there are 3 designations to choose from for a video but I sure haven't found the middle one...

1. Not For Kids
2. For Both Kids & Adults
3. Made for Kids


Most of all of here at BPT that have videos is mainly directed at adult collectors and that Kids do have an interest and only have a small percentage of views it doesn't matter to them. So if you change the designation you will get no help from YouTube and will be liable to the FTC.

This is all what I believe is happening from what I have gleaned from the information I have read and watched since this past Fall. There are many YouTube Videos about this from YouTube Creators. Just typing in COPPA in the search box should bring up many. I may have some of it wrong but it does make for an interesting discussion.

My conclusion is:
I am all for the protection for children of Online content but this looks like we are all paying for the illegal acts that YouTube was doing knowingly.

You can read what YouTube says here https://support.google.com/youtube/answe...ic=9257782

(01-11-2020, 12:20 PM)Super Wrote: Everything that I have read from YouTube says that there are 3 designations to choose from for a video but I sure haven't found the middle one...

1. Not For Kids
2. For Both Kids & Adults
3. Made for Kids

Exactly. When I open the YT Studio, there are only two boxes that I can check alternatively:

Audience

( ) Yes, the content is for children
( ) No, the content is not for children

(This is translated from my local version of YouTube, the wording can be different in English version.)

And that's it. Of course, our plarail videos are (well, most of them, I suppose) intended for everyone. And there is no option for that.

Thank you for the explanation, Super. I agree that children should be protected, but YouTube could do a better job.

If we make videos for General Audiences, we should set the videos as "Not for Kids".



Here's what I found on Twitter

Thats what all the complaints are about...its all too vague and what is the 'Mixed Audience' that he mentions?

Is this all being left up to 'intent'? If it is then why do they also define 'Made for Kids' as something that might interest Kids.

Confusion...for sure. I believe this is all being made so vague so YouTube can protect themselves when the FTC comes after a creator when they will say that they told everyone so they are not liable. I also believe that they could have fixed (their crime) by creating an algorithm that wont gather info on anything even remotely looking like a video that would interest Kids or just police themselves better.

Broad, vague and confusing laws and regulations are created by design to give the enforcers maximum power. I have plenty of issue with the porous nature of YouTube and Google compiling data but the FTC doesn’t have yours or any child’s “best interest” in mind. Control and authority over you as an individual is all that matters, regardless of whether it’s Google or a government agency.

I don't believe its the Law that is confusing here but Googles rules so they won't be liable again for their own mistakes. A good Lawyer can use vague to their advantage and I bet they have plenty of good Lawyers. The Law I believe is simple, you can't gather information about minors (under 13) Online to protect them from predators or those wishing to take advantage of them. The exact thing that YouTube was fined for, gathering information on them so they might profit from them in the way of purchases from and income from Ads.

So now, if YouTube is guilty of the same infractions again they can just argue that its the Creators fault for not marking it as Made For Kids and therefore they are not responsible.

For example:
I put up a Plarail video and mark it as Not Made For Kids, YouTube can now gather information on all the viewers of the video and target them with Ads that should interest them. Then, if because the FTC see's it and deems it a Toy Video that interests Kids YouTube can say that the Creator is the one that marked it as Not Made For Kids. Then I think that both YouTube and the FTC can go after you.

Bottom line is that YouTube has thrown the Creators under the bus for their own mistakes. I think an easy solution is to have options for Creators to choose what content Ads can have in their videos like Ads for Adults, Family Friendly Ads (for both adults & children) and For Kids Only. That way there is more control of their own videos and the liability also. But that would probable decrease YouTubes profits so they just say, lets make sure we aren't liable for anything and make the Creators pay. Its all a mess.