Rumble vs. Youtube vs. TikTok
An Algorithm, by any other name...
As many of you know, in 2018, I started producing a Youtube Channel—The Stewart Alastair Edition. In those four years, I’ve seen minimal incremental growth relative to Subscriptions. As I sit to write this, I have 4266 subscribers listed. After watching my original content for a time, some of my subscribers told me that Youtube was purposefully suppressing my content. I didn’t believe it, because I generally believe life doesn’t happen to you but rather through you.
However, after being on TikTok for two months (That’s two Months with a capital TWO!), I have gathered 73K followers as opposed to being on Youtube for four and a half years with only 4K subscribers. My top 5 videos on the Chinese-owned platform have garnered 3 million+ views with one video having 2.2M views! On Youtube, however, my most viewed video was about 2 years ago getting about 24K views. How can one account for this? Well, in a word— algorithms. This brings us neatly around to the recently filed lawsuit—Rumble vs. Google.
THE GOOGLE CONUNDRUM
According to award-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald, “A federal district court in California on Friday [July 29, 2022] denied Google's motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that the Silicon Valley giant is violating federal antitrust laws by preventing fair competition against its YouTube video platform.” According to Greenwald:
“Its [Rumble] central claim is that Google's abuse of its monopolistic stranglehold on search engines to destroy all competitors to its various other platforms is illegal under the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, which makes it unlawful to ‘monopolize, or attempt to monopolize…any part of the trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations.’” This initial federal ruling is great news for any freedom-loving American. Since the court denied Google’s motion to dismiss, the case will now move forward to what’s called “Discovery.”
In Discovery, both parties are allowed to submit Document Requests. Both sides can request any and all documents regarding how Google uses its algorithms when those algorithms are applied, and where those algorithms are applied. Many YouTubers (including myself) suspect Google is artificially suppressing conservative political content they don’t like. However, after watching left-leaning content on Youtube, it turns out that they too were being shoved aside to make room for “legitimate” news outlets like CNN and MSNBC. Don’t laugh. Well, go ahead…laugh, because calling CNN and MSNBC “legitimate” is laughable.
ALGORITHMS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL
What is an algorithm?
In short, an algorithm is designed to predict with a great deal of accuracy the outcome of any equation. Or in this case, word/channel equations. With that limited understanding, if anyone goes on Youtube searching for my videos it’s likely they wouldn’t find me unless they have a direct link to The Stewart Alastair Edition homepage. Even then, once you click on one of my videos, the next suggested videos that appear in the carousel to the right of the main screen, most likely will not feature my show episodes. Instead, you’ll find Fox News and other mainstream news outlets flooding the suggested area. So even after picking my video (which would suggest that that person wants to see my content), you won’t find another video from The Stewart Alastair Edition until you scroll down twenty-three pages. (I’m sure it varies from user to user but the “pattern” is clear—viewers are steered away from my content.) In other words, Google is purposely promoting mainstream content, even when the consumer wants alternative content creators like myself.
“Page One”
Notice that on the right side of the screen, you’ll find Fox News. This goes on for another 11 pages. It’s not until you reach 21 pages below my show that you find one of my most current videos.
“Page 21”
I show this as Exhibit “A”. Clearly, there is something happening with Youtube’s algorithm. How is it, that after searching for The Stewart Alastair Edition, you get bombarded with Fox News thumbnails? The same is true for liberal content creators as well.
Business is business, and bottom lines are bottom lines. I believe Youtube has two big problems. The first problem I demonstrate above. I believe Youtube is suffering from what I call “Streaming Envy.” They witness platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Paramount, and Disney+ produce slick, professional movies and TV shows and feel left out. Just think about it, as Netflix signs A-Listers to their roster, such as Ryan Reynolds, Chris Hemsworth, and Dave Chappelle, Youtube has unknown average men and women, likely filming content in their mother’s basement. So wherever Youtube can appear to compete with the competition, they will try to simulate. Now we seemingly have Fox News, CNN, ABC, MSNBC, and CBS promoting their own Youtube channels. In other words, Youtube is taking the YOU, out of Youtube.
THE SECOND PROBLEM
The second issue facing Youtube is more pernicious. It’s no secret that Google leans hard to the left politically. So when Youtube’s censor goblins come looking to surreptitiously attack channels by redirecting viewers, their algorithms do the job. When the Hunter Biden Laptop story hit the airwaves, Youtube came out claiming that if wide knowledge of a story would have changed the outcome of the 2020 election, your channel would immediately get a hard strike. Two more strikes on Youtube and your little channel is permanently banned from the platform. If Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, or Laura Ingram say the same thing, Fox News’ Youtube channel is not in danger of being banned. Why? Remember, Youtube wants to compete with the big streaming services. News outlets are the easiest way to do that.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Hopefully, the lawsuit between Rumble and Google will force Youtube to change its business model. If Rumble is successful, perhaps Youtube will put YOU back in Youtube. Sadly, however, I believe Youtube will be pushed aside by social media outlets like TikTok and even Instagram because of Youtube's censorious community guidelines. Platforms like TikTok, however, recognize the lane they are in. And let's face it, Rumble is the new kid on the block with a reputation for protecting free speech. In the end, I hope I’m wrong. But if history shows us anything, countries, and industries that clamp down on free speech meet the same fate—extinction.