The Block Function Is The Problem With Youtube and Kids

Youtube is great, I love it. I use it daily, I upload videos, I manage several channels for clients, and more. I even pay for Youtube Premium. But they have a big problem.

It has come up several times over the past few years. Inappropriate content is being shown to young kids. And I get it, it's the parent's job to stay vigilant over this and prevent it and address it as necessary.

While I don't have time to go over all the instances of Google's neglectful deployment of policies, and content control management systems, I do have time to tell you what I think this is the one thing that would make Youtube 300% better.

FIX THE GODDAMN Block button. Parents can't do their parenting with a broken block function. I wish Susan Wojcicki would see this, but then again, I don't think she actually cares about the users anymore.

I have petitioned them on Twitter, I have sent emails to support, I have expressed this issue on their surveys every time they come up.

Here's the problem. The block button and block function do not work on Youtube. Let me explain, Facebook allows you to block someone, and until you remove that block that person is for all FAcebook purposes “non-existent.”

If you go to their profile after you've blocked them, you'll get an error. If you both comment on a public thread, they won't see your comment or know you commented, and vice-versa. If you're in a group together, you won't see them and they won't see you. They can't tag you, you can't tag them. The list goes on.

Facebook (and Instagram) will literally “block” all access to and from that person.

But what does Youtube do? Nothing useful.

Youtube thinks that “blocking” means you don't want that person to come and comment on your Youtube videos.

WTF?

No, Youtube. I'm surprised to have to tell you that Facebook got it right. You should do what Facebook does. When I click on “block” on a Youtube channel, It means I want that youtube channel removed from my entire Youtube experience.

I don't want to see it ever again. I don't want to see their recommended videos, their latest videos, their comments on any channel.

What part of this is so hard to do? Why can't you do what is the right thing to do?

This is what you tell users when they block someone:

Most Youtube users do not upload content. So why would this result be the default? And why isn't there a proper way to block users?

If I wanted to block someone from commenting on my youtube videos, that should be a function in my Youtube Studio management area, something like “restrict this user from commenting.” But again, most users do not upload content.

And as a parent, this is the most frustrating, annoying, and deceitful way of handling this. If I block a channel so my child doesn't see their content anymore, that should be the end of it. We should not ever see that channel show up. At all.

But this is just stupid.