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[213372bu]

Read this before posting:

This has nothing to do with alt-right or toxic content.

The system and videos targeted are "deep content" videos with little to no views and are essentially "hidden from YouTube". They make up little no amount of the total advertising on YT and Google already has agencies/programs that actively seek this content.

A patent troll essentially created a problem through misrepresentation and falsification and it's affecting all YouTubers. YouTube wouldn't even benefit from his technology as they already have systems and third-party agencies that target this content.

They would essentially being paying solely for PR and a system that automatically demonetizes videos with innocuous terms that are found on these "deep videos".

Recently advertisers on YouTube have been completely pulling their ads of the medium for "supporting hate speech", analysts claim this has cost Google $750 million and has led to some successful YouTubers receiving less than 10% of their normal income.

Many on the service became confused and were wondering how this suddenly is rocking YouTubers. Many like h3h3 pointed out that a certain journalist was pressuring advertising companies by showing their ads marked on videos with heinous titles, despite the fact that YouTube already automatically demonetizes videos with those terms, essentially questioning the validity of his screen caps.

Well, it seems like the reason for the "ad crisis" that is heavily affecting everyone has been uncovered.

Meet the Man Behind YouTube's Sudden Ad Crisis. He Has a Patented Fix

So why has the brand-safety problem suddenly burst into the open, prompting big advertisers such as General Motors, Walmart, Verizon, AT&T and Johnson & Johnson to stop spending on YouTube or other Google properties? Thank -- or blame -- Eric Feinberg, a longtime marketing-services executive who in recent months has made it his mission to find ad-supported content linked to terror and hate groups, then push links and screen shots proving it happened to journalists in the U.K. and U.S.

Mr. Feinberg owns Southfield, Mich.-based Gipec, short for Global Intellectual Property Enforcement Center, which employs "deep web interrogation" to find keywords and coding linked to terrorism and hate speech.

He's also co-owner of a patent issued in December for a "computerized system and method for detecting fraudulent or malicious enterprises." His system works in part by analyzing when videos and websites contain words that appear alongside such phrases as "kill Jews." He's logged thousands of sometimes innocuous or obscure sounding terms he says "co-trend" with such hate speech or exhortations to violence, which in turn helps him finding offensive videos.

His efforts with the media have been classic problem-solution marketing. Mr. Feinberg makes no bones about his interest in licensing his technology to Google and other digital platforms to monitor offensive content and keep ads away from it.

Certainly Google knows plenty about artificial intelligence and machine learning, as its executives have eagerly informed marketers in public and private presentations for years. And last week, as major advertisers one after the other pressed "pause" on YouTube advertising, Google said in a blog post that it's beefing up its tech efforts and hiring more people to prevent placement of ads with unsavory content.

But Mr. Feinberg said in an interview on Friday that he doubts Google can succeed. At least, he said, "not without violating my patent."

Seemingly there shouldn't be a market for what Mr. Feinberg has to sell. Brand safety, or monitoring ad placements to prevent brands from appearing alongside porn and other embarrassing content, is a standard part of offerings from digital audience measurement firms such as Moat, which in late 2015 became the first such company invited in by YouTube to monitor the site for agencies and brands.

He likened the idea of selling his tech piecemeal to brands and agencies to "fixing your toilet or sink at the house when the problem is at the sewer or the reservoir."

So why have Google and seemingly sophisticated ad tech firms failed to find the stuff he keeps finding? "They aren't really understanding key trending or key words, and they're not looking for it like we do," Mr. Feinberg said. "I have a database of thousands of words and phrases linked to nefarious activity."

Whether all this will help Mr. Feinberg close a deal with Google or anyone else is hard to say. If he doesn't and Google develops its own solution, he can try to stake a patent claim. Does that make him a patent troll? He argues that he's doing something different than patent litigators that apply an obscure patent to something tech firms were already doing anyway. Mr. Feinberg, by contrast, has gone to great and public lengths in recent weeks to demonstrate that his technology can root out problems Google hasn't found.

"I'm doing it for the industry," he said. "I'm an old ad guy."

Sauce

tl;dr: Eric Feinberg has pressured tons of companies to pull their advertisements on YouTube, so he can license his patented technology to "fix" a problem that isn't prevalent on the platform and is already being monitored by third-party agencies that were hired by Google.

Feinberg's patented technology would automatically demonetize/ban certain content based on innocuous terms that are found in already infringing content.

Feinberg doubts that YouTube will be able to bring back advertisers without his technology, and if they are able to, that their methodology might be violating his patent.

Meanwhile every YouTube channel that monetizes their channels are seeing SHARP demonetization drops.

Demonetize me if old.

 

[BY2K]

But the mainstream media, tho...

But seriously, the fuck?

 

[Leona Lewis]

That is madly brilliant.

I can't knock the hustle.

 

[spiderman123]

Anybody else seeing this?

 

[Escape Goat]

Lex Luthor is that you

 

[Psychological Intellect]

Eric Feinberg has pressured tons of companies to pull their advertisements on YouTube, so he can license his patented technology to "fix" a problem that isn't prevalent on the platform and is already being monitored by third-party agencies that were hired by Google.

 

[Merc_]

Fucking with so many people's money seems like a real poor decision.

 

[Slayven]

That is madly brilliant.

I can't knock the hustle.

For real

 

[213372bu]

Anybody else seeing this?

They hacked a few YouTube Networks and got access to a ton of channels to advertise their security consultant company.

 

[RCSI]

1. Create problem
2. Sell solution
3. ????
4. Profit

 

[Slayven]

1. Create problem
2. Sell solution
3. ????
4. Profit

Did he create the problem of people posting problematic shit on youtube? Or just point it out?

 

[Barzul]

Eh I actually can't knock him for it. Google should've had a system in place to resolve this. That they didn't is an incredible lack of oversight. What this guy did is just capitalism in action.

 

[Jack The Nipper]

Would be nice if all advertisers pulled themselves off for a month to send a message but..... someone would take up the spots cause well thats just how companies roll..

 

[StoOgE]

I mean,

Part of the reason this is working (assuming this article is on the up and up) is because Youtube does a pretty poor job of stopping ads from playing on content brands wouldn't want to be associated with.

Demonitized or not, what do you expect proctor and gamble to do when Charmin ads are running in front of content they don't want to be associated with.

It's something Youtube and other similar sites need to figure out. Old media had a way of placing ads in the right parts of magazines and on the right TV segments to avoid these issues. New media is going to need to catch up.

This guys "scam" is only working because he is exploiting a real world problem that Youtube already had and shining a light on it

 

[Mimosa97]

Who are these big youtubers who lost 90% of their income ?

 

[Vincent Grayson]

This seems kind of like the equivalent of unleashing pests in a house and then knocking on the door offering to exterminate them.

edit: Nah, scratch that. I've decided I like this if it means them fixing their shit.

 

[The Technomancer]

If this dude has actually developed this system he's not exactly a troll...

 

[StoOgE]

This seems kind of like the equivalent of unleashing pests in a house and then knocking on the door offering to exterminate them.

I mean, is it? He didn't put bad content on Youtube and have ads play before it.

It might be scammy, but he is trying to profit off pointing out actual issues that already exist on youtube.

 

[CertifiedFP]

If this dude has actually developed this system he's not exactly a troll...

I'd say there's a fine line between merely making and attempting to market something, and trying to force someone to buy something via what essentially amounts to an extortion racket.

Especially since he's saying "Don't make your own internal solution or you'll be infringing on my patent!"

 

[Slayven]

I mean,

Part of the reason this is working (assuming this article is on the up and up) is because Youtube does a pretty poor job of stopping ads from playing on content brands wouldn't want to be associated with.

Demonitized or not, what do you expect proctor and gamble to do when Charmin ads are running in front of content they don't want to be associated with.

It's something Youtube and other similar sites need to figure out. Old media had a way of placing ads in the right parts of magazines and on the right TV segments to avoid these issues. New media is going to need to catch up.

This guys "scam" is only working because he is exploiting a real world problem that Youtube already had and shining a light on it

Pretty much, they tossed stupid money into these platforms without any oversight. Now they being told maybe it not a good look be seen with Pew "Kill Jews" Diepie. Google should have seen this happening a mile away

 

[213372bu]

Eh I actually can't knock him for it. Google should've had a system in place to resolve this. That they didn't is an incredible lack of oversight. What this guy did is just capitalism in action.

Apparently Google/YouTube already have a system in place that automatically tags that content and has hired agencies to monitor offending content.

Essentially this dude has been going to companies/journalists and finding "deep content" on YouTube and using it to pressure companies.

He may also have falsified a picture of a video that shows a video being monetized with a certain word that would already automatically lead to demonetization by YouTube.

All while basically extorting YouTube and affecting EVERYONE who monetizes their content on YouTube.

 

[Escape Goat]

This seems kind of like the equivalent of unleashing pests in a house and then knocking on the door offering to exterminate them.

More like notifying people of pests in their house and offering the patented insecticide for a price.

 

[Vincent Grayson]

More like notifying people of pests in their house and offering the patented insecticide for a price.

It was more the "You can try and do it yourself, but you'll violate my patent" that bugged me. But if it means them changing, it's for the best.

 

[DNAbro]

Maybe I'm not up to date on tech patents, but a private solution that does the same thing and doesn't use the tech he developed shouldn't break his patent right?

 

[Ri'Orius]

Sounds like the guy legitimately built a better mousetrap. His software has flagged offensive videos YouTube missed. Good job.

 

[CertifiedFP]

I mean,

Part of the reason this is working (assuming this article is on the up and up) is because Youtube does a pretty poor job of stopping ads from playing on content brands wouldn't want to be associated with.

Demonitized or not, what do you expect proctor and gamble to do when Charmin ads are running in front of content they don't want to be associated with.

It's something Youtube and other similar sites need to figure out. Old media had a way of placing ads in the right parts of magazines and on the right TV segments to avoid these issues. New media is going to need to catch up.

This guys "scam" is only working because he is exploiting a real world problem that Youtube already had and shining a light on it

BattlestarGalacticaPremiumPlus.mp4

 

[Wereroku]

I mean, is it? He didn't put bad content on Youtube and have ads play before it.

It might be scammy, but he is trying to profit off pointing out actual issues that already exist on youtube.

That article suggests that he is making it seem more wide spread then it is. Also suggests he fabricated some of them since the automatic system wouldn't have let them be monitized to begin with.

 

[CadetMahoney]

Fucking with so many people's money seems like a real poor decision.

Doubt these youtubers have any clout, union or any political connections and the general public put them on the same "respectability-tier" as gamers so little to no sympathy.

 

[Seesaw15]

I thoughts the WSJ was to blame /s

Edit: Had to make my sarcasm clear.

 

[mashoutposse]

YouTube ads will be cheaper than they've ever been since the beginning of the platform.

Tai Lopez wins again.

 

[spiderman123]

The whole situation seems sketchy as hell to me.

 

[IdreamofHIME]

Well it's broken, can't blame the guy for hawking a fix.

 

[benicillin]

How many hoops are people willing to jump through before just recognizing that YouTube has an ad problem, very poor oversight, and a bunch of content creators with shitty opinions who are incentivized not to willingly label their content for mature audiences (because it demonitizes it)?

This seems like a conspiracy theory distraction that ignores the REAL problem that YouTube has had for a long time with 0 oversight on YouTube and an increasingly toxic platform. Patent trolls gonna patent troll, but he's only exposing a problem that already existed and that YouTube has willingly ignored while it rolled in the big bucks.

 

[AlexFlame116]

I really don't know how to feel about this. Well, more like I'm still trying to understand it.

 

[213372bu]

I thoughts the WSJ was to blame lol.

Actually a bit of both, the person behind the patented tech went to journalists with the story. A journalist on WSJ who did the PDP thing was essentially doing his work for him on Twitter and gloating over it.

How many hoops are people willing to jump through before just recognizing that YouTube has an ad problem, very poor oversight, and a bunch of content creators with shitty opinions who are incentivized not to willingly label their content for mature audiences (because it demonitizes it)?

This seems like a conspiracy theory distraction that ignores the REAL problem that YouTube has had for a long time with 0 oversight on YouTube and an increasingly toxic platform. Patent trolls gonna patent troll, but he's only exposing a problem that already existed and that YouTube has willingly ignored while it rolled in the big bucks.

This has nothing to do with "toxic" content or alt-right content.

The man's patented tech is to find "deep" videos on YouTube of terrorist attacks/racist content etc. that are essentially hidden and receive little to no views.

YouTube already has a system in place to accomplish what this man's tech does, and they hire third-party companies to flag these videos.

He's extorting YouTube and content creators there based on a non-problem.

 

[Orthogonal]

Who the hell associates ad's with the content they play against? No one thinks the advertisers endorse the content. This is so silly.

 

[benicillin]

Who the hell associates ad's with the content they play against? No one thinks the advertisers endorse the content. This is so silly.

That's literally how the ad business works. Ad companies don't like their ads being pushed up against content they don't like. This isn't some new phenomenon.

 

[JDMC13]

1. Create problem
2. Sell solution
3. ????
4. Profit

I don't think there is a step 3 here.

 

[The Jazz Cabbage Master]

I was considering canceling my Spotify and trying something else. Should I not subscribe to YouTube Red/Google Music and stick to Spotify for now?

 

[Unknown Soldier]

I hope Google takes this guy down.

 

[wildfire]

1. Create problem
2. Sell solution
3. ????
4. Profit

He created a problem by finding a problem first.


Advertisers are pulling their ads because they are given direct links to the offensive YouTube channels.


It doesn't matter that Google doesn't give Jontron money. ( which is their counter argument)


It matters to them Google doesn't block their ads from being associated with negativity.


He's doing something good and worthwhile for advertisers where Google has failed.

 

[Speevy]

I don't think there is a step 3 here.

Make racist content creator move back home with mother.

 

[Nanashrew]

I thoughts the WSJ was to blame lol.

Never were. Heck, WSJ wasn't even the first to report on this, it was The Times article in the UK that did. Google execs were called into the UK cabinet to explain themselves about the content appearing on their network, then advertisers started pulling their ads from Google and YouTube in a boycott. It since then spread to places like France and now here in the US where more advertisers are joining in on the boycott.

 

[Ogodei]

Turn this into a medical disease or something and this would be a dystopian scifi plot.

 

[Usobuko]

How much does licensing his tech would have cost for Google billions of ads revenue annually?

Is there an educated guess to this?

 

[benicillin]

I'm starting to get the feeling that a lot of career YouTubers (and YouTube itself) want the "big time" money and the platform that go along with it, but none of the responsibility or oversight. And any time "old media", that covers things like business and technology, doing their job and reporting the facts, criticize them or talk about them (as they would anyone with a subscriber base of millions), it's suddenly framed as an attack and a whole lot of people get misled by folks like h3h3 who are woefully ignorant and reactionary.

It's incredibly frustrating.

 

[jack_package_200]

Who the hell associates ad's with the content they play against? No one thinks the advertisers endorse the content. This is so silly.

I would be livid if an advertisement for a product from our company or whatever were to play in front of someone like Sargon of Akkad or that dweeby white kid in glasses who says the N word a lot.

Advertisers and companies don't want their ads or products associated with scum or for that scum to make money by having their ads play in front of his content.

I'm starting to get the feeling that a lot of career YouTubers (and YouTube itself) want the "big time" money and the platform that go along with it, but none of the responsibility or oversight. .

They want to produce content without consequences. They want to join the big boy table but not accept the responsibility that entails.

 

[Cyan]

Hmm, this isn't really a patent troll. Patent troll usually refers to companies that don't actually create anything, but buy up big batches of patents and then try to sue people with them.

On first read, this seems more like... a guy trying to create a problem where there isn't one, in order to swoop in and offer his patented solution to said non-problem. More of a con than anything.

 

[rpmurphy]

I doubt the patent thing would hold up in court, but good hustle for this guy trying to get Google to buy him out.

 

[the_batman]

are people really on this guy's side? just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. just pure greed.