YouTube Reveals Percentage of Policy-Violating Video Views for the First Time

By Riley ThompsonTechnology News

YouTube Discloses Percentage of Views on Policy-Violating Videos

For the first time, YouTube has revealed the percentage of views that go to videos violating its platform policies, a metric known as the Violative View Rate (VVR). According to the company, for every 10,000 views on the platform, 16 to 18 are of content that breaks YouTube’s rules. YouTube began tracking this metric in 2017.

What Is Violative View Rate (VVR)?

VVR measures the proportion of views on videos that violate YouTube’s policies, including content containing spam, violence, hate speech, and similar infractions. In the fourth quarter of 2020, the VVR was between 0.16% and 0.18% of all views. This means that out of every 10,000 views, 16 to 18 were on content that violated YouTube’s guidelines.

How YouTube Tracks and Reduces Harmful Content

YouTube started monitoring VVR in 2017. Over the past four years, the rate has dropped by more than 70%, largely due to the implementation of machine learning technologies. Currently, 94% of such content is detected automatically, and 75% is removed before it reaches 10 views. Since 2018, YouTube has deleted 83 million videos and 7 billion comments for violating its Community Guidelines.

VVR is determined by content reviewers who assess which videos break the rules and which do not. YouTube explains that VVR data demonstrates how the platform protects its community: “We believe VVR is the best way to understand how harmful content impacts viewers and to identify areas for improvement.”

Stricter Content Policies and Ongoing Efforts

YouTube regularly tightens its content publication rules. For example, in October of last year, the platform banned the spread of conspiracy theories related to violence. Since then, YouTube has focused on four main areas:

  • Removing offensive content
  • Reducing the spread of harmful information
  • Rewarding reliable creators
  • Increasing the authority of trustworthy opinions

As YouTube expands its restrictions, the company notes that the context in which prohibited information is mentioned is important.

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