YouTube comments often suffer from low quality, spam, and off-topic discussions, which detract from meaningful interactions between creators and viewers. Many users comment without fully watching videos, leading to repeated questions, misunderstandings, or toxic replies. This not only frustrates engaged viewers but also burdens creators with moderation efforts. A potential solution could involve implementing a watch-time requirement before allowing users to comment.
The idea involves setting a minimum watch-time threshold—say, 50%, 90%, or a creator-defined percentage—before users can leave a comment. Here’s how it might function:
Additional features could include badges for users who meet the threshold (e.g., "Informed Commenter") to encourage thoughtful participation.
This approach could improve engagement quality while reducing moderation workload. Benefits include:
Potential concerns, such as reduced engagement on time-sensitive content, could be addressed with exemptions or adjustable thresholds.
A step-by-step rollout could help refine the feature:
Comparisons with platforms like Twitch (priority chats) and Medium (read-time badges) suggest this model could be adapted effectively for video.
By leveraging YouTube's existing watch-time tracking, this idea could transform comments from a chaotic space into a structured, value-driven feature.
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Digital Product