YouTube is cracking down on hackers impersonating creators on its platform. It is not uncommon indeed to see fake channels spamming comments on videos in the hope of attracting a gullible victim. The service has therefore decided to take matters into its own hands by tightening the screw on the side of moderation.
If YouTube regularly tries to improve its service for users, as with the recent addition of graphics showing the best passages of a video, the site is not only keen to offer new features, but also to optimize the security of its users. . Indeed, for several years, pirates have been swarming on the platform, taking advantage of the popularity of certain creators to lure their victims.
For this, there is no need for malware to be hidden discreetly within the descriptions of the videos. It is enough, as is the case on the rest of the social networks, to pretend to be a Youtuber with a large community. We get the creator’s profile picture, we change his name a little bit, and that’s it: all that remains is to post a malicious link in the comments, hoping that unwary users will fall into the trap.
YouTube wants to reduce comment spam
YouTube therefore wants creators to protect themselves against these identity thefts. From their personal space, they can now check the option “increase severity” in the space dedicated to the moderation of comments. YouTube specifies that the latter works in the same way as the parameter “withhold potentially inappropriate comments for review”which allows for a high level of moderation without having to check comments manually.
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This new measure is also accompanied by restrictions, such as the impossibility of hiding its number of subscribers from July 29. This option makes it easier for hackers to pass themselves off as a big chain. Finally, YouTube will prevent the use of certain special characters to name its channel, so that pirates do not imitate the name of the creators in this way.
Source : Youtube
