To keep things civil, YouTube is going to start reminding users to lay off on the offensive remarks in the comment sections when it detects they're about to post some abusive language.
On Thursday, YouTube introduced the respectful reminder function in an effort to make the video-sharing platform inclusive to all users. “We know that comments play a key role in helping creators connect with their community, but issues with the quality of comments is also one of the most consistent pieces of feedback we receive from creators,” YouTube Vice President Johanna Wright wrote in a blog post.
The Google-owned service has already been working on ways to give video creators control over inappropriate comments that can get posted on their clips. Now it’ll try to dissuade users from submitting the offensive remarks in the first place.
The reminder function works like this: Using AI algorithms, YouTube will scan a submitted comment for offensive language. If detected, the system will then display a pop-up that’ll say “Keep comment respectful,” and encourage the user to change the wording.
Users can choose to ignore the reminder, and post the comment anyways. However, YouTube says it can remove the comment if the remark violates the platform's guidelines against abuse and hate speech. The channel owner will also have the power to delete the flagged comment as well.
“Our system learns from content that has been repeatedly reported by users,” YouTube wrote in a FAQ about the reminder function. “We hope to learn more about what comments may be considered offensive as we continue to develop it.”
The function marks the latest attempt from the major social media services to use computer algorithms to encourage civil behavior among users. A year ago, Instagram debuted a similar feature to display a pop-up when a user is about to post something potentially offensive.
According to YouTube, the reminder function is first arriving for users on Android.