YouTube Tests Advanced Comment Controls for Video Interaction Management

Hey there, YouTube’s got a game-changer in the works! It’s all about making life easier for video creators, and it’s seriously cool. Now, imagine this: you can take charge of your video comments like never before. You can hit the brakes on new comments from a specific point onward while keeping the ones you’ve already got. It’s like having a ‘silence’ button for all the talk surrounding your videos.

Now, you might be thinking, “Well, I can already switch off comments for my whole video or my entire channel.” That’s true, but it’s an all-or-nothing deal. When you do that, all comments, including the ones that were already there, vanish into thin air. You can kind of work your way around it by holding comments for review, but that’s not a walk in the park. There’s no simple way to just stop comments from a certain point.

But here’s where it gets exciting. YouTube is testing a brand new feature called “Pause” mode. This clever tool lets you freeze new comments while keeping the old ones alive. To find this ‘Pause’ option, head to your video-level comment settings. It’s as easy as pie – just look for the gear icon in the top right corner of the comments section, whether you’re on the YouTube website or app.

Using this new feature is a breeze, and it puts you in the driver’s seat when it comes to managing the conversations about your video. So, even if you choose to turn comments off, you can still keep the chat alive.

When you hit that “Pause” button, your viewers will see a message in the comment section saying “Comments are paused.” No worries, they can still read all the previous comments, but no new ones can sneak in.

For those lucky creators who get to test this out, you’ll see three comment control categories: “On,” “Pause,” and “Off.” Plus, there are some extra settings for managing comments like a pro.

This feature is your secret weapon for those times when your video is making waves, whether it’s due to breaking news or a sudden influx of unwanted attention.

Oh, and one more thing, YouTube is rolling this out to just a select few channels to start with. So, keep your eyes peeled for more updates on this fantastic comment control feature!