At YouTube, just anyone can be a hero today, and that is possible, according to the popular video-sharing website, by joining its community moderation program.
The new program called YouTube Heroes was announced along with the new Community section that Tech Times previously reported. Essentially, this other feature acts as a platform where YouTube creators and subscribers can interact and even collaborate.
The YouTube Heroes initiative, on the other hand, enlists users to moderate comments and videos and even flag offensive or inappropriate content. It is not unlike saying that by being a Hero, a user is helping police the platform in order to make it a better place overall.
The YouTube Heroes program is not only limited to creators, as it is open to plain YouTube users as well. Other responsibilities include adding captions and subtitles to published videos and helping their peers navigate the moderation system.
The role for a hero is quite large, considering the previously cited job description. One should remember that it does not involve any compensation, and Heroes only have YouTube's gratitude to show for their trouble. It is understandable, therefore, to say that volunteering one's services could prove daunting.
YouTube seemed to have recognized this issue, so it declared that the heroes' toils are key to unlocking glory, which entail rewards. These come in the form of exclusive perks and privileges that include access to "super tools," the opportunity to test new Google products and services before they are made available to the public, as well as participation to Google workshops. Heroes could also snag invites to Heroes Hangout and Heroes Summit and get a direct line to YouTube staff, among others.
A point system has been instituted for this purpose. The points accumulated classify Heroes into five levels, with each having its corresponding set of rewards. The reporting of videos that violate YouTube guidelines, contributing a sentence that gets published as a subtitle and giving a helpful answer posted in the YouTube forum are all entitled to a varying range of points.
YouTube has provided a step-by-step tutorial on how to become a Hero (see video below). The most basic requirement, however, is a YouTube account. The process will, henceforth, involve reading and agreeing to terms, guidelines, rules — the whole nine yards. Once the moderator account is set up, volunteers will be notified when their heroic capers begin.
With the Heroes initiative, YouTube is expected to address or at least lessen the challenges entailed in moderating an enormous number of content posted in its system daily.
Photo: Rego Korosi | Flickr
