All articles tagged with #youtube
Kotaku reports that DrDisrespect staged a Marathon sponsorship tease ahead of the server slam, prompting Bungie to publicly deny any paid partnership; Beahm celebrates the stunt as a win, continuing a pattern critics say tests authenticity in the algorithm-driven era.
YouTube is expanding its Premium Lite plan by adding background playback and offline downloads, letting most non-music videos be watched ad-free offline and in the background. Lite costs $7.99/month in the US (Premium is $13.99) and previously didn’t include these features; Shorts still have ads and some videos aren’t fully ad-free on Lite. The rollout starts today and may take a few weeks to reach all users.
YouTube Premium Lite is gaining background playback and offline downloads, letting you play videos while using other apps and save content for offline viewing. The perks are rolling out at no extra charge with Lite, but ad-free viewing still requires the full YouTube Premium plan ($13.99/month); most videos are ad-free on Lite, though some content (music, Shorts, and browse/search results) may still show ads.
A Lifehacker guide compiling 10 practical YouTube tricks, including how to search transcripts with Ctrl-F, set sleep timers, create precise timestamp links, navigate with keyboard shortcuts and frame-by-frame controls, temporarily speed up playback on mobile, set video quality defaults, use incognito to curb recommendations, and remove videos from your history to keep recommendations clean.
A landmark bellwether case accusing Meta and YouTube of engineering addictive social platforms that harmed a young user could influence hundreds of similar lawsuits and spark broader online-safety reforms. With Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg testifying and plaintiffs citing internal documents about preteen use and scrolling time, the trial echoes Big Tobacco-era litigation while the companies dispute causation and highlight safety features. The outcome may steer future cases and regulatory scrutiny across the tech industry.
Deadline reports that Stephen Colbert's interview with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico—meant for CBS but posted online—has drawn about 85 million views across YouTube and social platforms in 72 hours, led by the full 15‑minute clip with millions of views; Colbert’s YouTube page accounts for a large share of views while TikTok promotion drives engagement, and Talarico’s campaign says it raised about $2.5 million in response, all framed within broader media/political dynamics including regulatory actions and equal‑time rule discussions.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in a landmark civil trial accusing social platforms of harming children’s mental health, with Kaley alleging Instagram and YouTube are addictive from a young age. Zuckerberg defended Meta’s safeguards and said the company prioritizes long‑term utility, noting challenges with verifying teens’ ages and relying on AI age estimation. The testimony highlighted internal documents about time spent on Instagram, concerns over beauty filters, and the broader question of whether platforms’ safeguards are enough, as families affected by alleged harms await the outcome.
YouTube outage affecting the homepage, app, and YouTube TV was traced to a problems with the recommendations system; after a fix, services are back to normal across all surfaces, with TeamYouTube promising continued work on a full fix.
YouTube suffered a Tuesday night outage that prevented videos from loading on desktop and mobile, with users seeing “Something went wrong. Try again.” The company later attributed the disruption to a glitch in its recommendations system that hid videos across surfaces (homepage, app, Music, Kids). The homepage returned first and full restoration followed by about 7:40 p.m. PT, as the platform—home to roughly 2.7 billion monthly users—returned to normal amid social‑media frustration.
Stephen Colbert blasted CBS and its parent Paramount after they posted his interview with James Talarico on YouTube but not on the TV show, citing potential FCC equal-time concerns. He argued the network’s legal notes were overbroad and insisted his script had been approved by CBS lawyers, noting the show complied with talk-show exemptions for interviewing politicians. Colbert said the clip on YouTube has millions of views and criticized Paramount for not standing up to “bullies,” while CBS and the FCC did not immediately comment. The piece also notes Colbert’s show is slated to end after this season.
A California Superior Court trial accuses Instagram and YouTube of building “addiction machines” that harmed a minor’s mental health, with opening arguments citing internal emails and design choices; the defense argues the harms stem from the child’s home life, and the case could set a damages benchmark for similar lawsuits.
A fire-damaged Porsche 911 GT3 written off by insurers was bought for $1 by YouTuber Emelia Hartford. She documented a painstaking, authentic restoration—rebuilding wiring, control modules, and mechanicals, sourcing factory-spec parts, renewing the interior, and ensuring the car would drive as a true GT3. The project underscores hands-on craftsmanship and demonstrates that with time and expertise, a ruined machine can regain genuine performance and value, rather than becoming mere content.
A low-budget, Markiplier-led adaptation of the indie game Iron Lung defied expectations by earning over $20 million worldwide after landing a wide theatrical release on more than 3,000 screens without a distributor. The film leverages Markiplier’s massive YouTube following to drive audience demand, turning online clout into a real box-office showing, even as the live-action, single-character format and game-like storytelling feel uneven compared with its interactive source. The success suggests online audiences can disrupt traditional releases, though the approach isn’t easily replicable for most creators or studios.
KISS's 1979 disco-influenced hit 'I Was Made For Lovin' You' has surpassed one billion views on YouTube, following a prior Spotify milestone, underscoring the song's enduring appeal from the Dynasty era. The track was written by Paul Stanley, Desmond Child and Vini Poncia and directed by John Goodhue, despite past tensions with Gene Simmons over its style.
An op-ed argues that Eli from Russia channels a selective Soviet nostalgia that flattens history and sidesteps politics, erasing accountability for Russia's war in Ukraine. By interviewing people across Russia and Central Asia while omitting discussion of the war or state power, the YouTuber's content cultivates a politics of responsibility avoidance, enabling public tolerance of aggression and reinforcing a cultural memory that justifies imperial actions.