YouTube would be experimenting with the “Increase rigor” feature to solve mass spam problem

As spam comments on YouTube would be increasingly proliferating across all channels, Google's platform would be testing a stricter moderation so that they stop sneaking in and stop being a threat to users.

According to The Verge, many content creators have expressed frustration with this situation since last weeks, including technology channels such as Linus Tech Tips. These channels have pointed out that there are more and more malicious comments trying to pass through them to scam their visitors.

The creators warn from their own experience that YouTube has serious spam problems. From crypto pyramid scams to food supplements and Robux, virtual currencies of Roblox video game, for free, but the most worrying thing is that all that has been on the rise.

Another way in which spam comments manifest themselves is by taking the place of content creators, promising viewers some benefit from sending them messages, and after that attackers manage to commit fraud against users.

They also detected another technique that may be less malicious but potentially dangerous. Last June, youtuber Sean “Jacksepticeye” McLoughlin said on his channel that he detected comments that were “copy and paste” from genuine posts, only that their profile names were extremely suspicious. For example, “T [A] P Me!! To Have [S] EX With Me”, which in Spanish would be “Press here to have sex with me”, in these cases, it is best not to listen to them, since they are most likely viruses.

While YouTube has machine learning and human review tools to automatically remove spam comments, it doesn't seem to be getting 100% coverage. As YouTube spokeswoman Ivy CHOi told The Verge, the company removed more than 950 million comments that violated its policies, including probable scam comments in the first quarter of 2021 alone.

The spokeswoman added that the “vast majority” of these deleted comments were automatically removed by the automated spam detection system. Because many comments still go unnoticed by its algorithms, YouTube seems to be working on solving the problem.

Tech influencer Marques Brownlee, better known as MKBHD, made a post via Twitter this Friday, stating that YouTube is testing a new moderation tool called “Increase Rigor.”

The rigor tool would have started its testing phase since December 2021, according to spokesperson Mariana De Felice. With the feature enabled, potentially inappropriate comments will be automatically taken for review.

“Given the evolving nature and changing tactics of spam content, we are continually adapting our systems to stay current,” Choi said. Likewise, with the tool, it would allow creators to take care of the spam they find on their channels.

Brownlee mentioned that there is a tool made by youtuber ThioJoe, which allows you to filter and search for spam in the comments of the channel or on the channel of others, as well as delete or report them all at the same time. Until now it is not known when YouTube will send the new tool to all channels.

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