But can't users monetize their own productions by taking a slice of that advertising revenue? I'm not sure exactly how it works but if that's the case then that's pretty reasonable. I don't know what the split between YT and content creators is though.
Yeah they can. Some of them, regardless of their quality or true value of content. Most of us are creating content but get zero.
If you bring enough viewing you will get a slice to keep you putting more so that ads will sell. You could be creating from the greatest to the most garbage degenerating content.
Youtube doesn't care about the content as long as it works.
If degenerating content gets the most views and tracks you that you watched them, your suggestions will fill you with both garbage content and a shitload of ads. As well as politically sponsored or corporate sponsored content.
Basically Youtube as an idea is freakin amazing. A lot of people are creating awesome content too.
Problem is, since money is part of the picture, your personal data are used, they are fed to algorithms and their partners, and it is trying to steal as much of your valuable time as possible, by interrupting your attention with more and more ads (unless you pay them more than you would pay for Netflix) and it is trying to glue you to it.
So while it comes with some benefits, it also comes with substantial indirect costs that are accrued over time for users that use it substantially. Same as social media which is a new serious addiction pandemic that it is not talked about.
Can you have a Youtube service with a pure aim to help quality content creation and protect it's viewers? It should, but it is not feasible.