YouTube may soon allow users to create Shorts from comments: report

 

YouTube is always looking for ways to improve its platform and engage its users. One of its latest experiments is a feature that lets viewers create Shorts from comments on other people’s videos. Shorts are YouTube’s version of short-form vertical videos, similar to TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Snapchat Spotlight.

According to a YouTube support page, the feature is called “viewer-created Shorts featuring comments” and is currently being tested with a small percentage of users on Android and iOS devices. The idea is to allow viewers to share their thoughts and reactions to videos in a more creative way, as well as to participate in the conversation around videos.

How does it work?

To create a Short from a comment, viewers simply need to tap on the “Create Short” button under the comment. They can then edit the comment and add their own creative touches, such as music, filters, and text. Once the Short is created, it will appear in the Shorts feed and on the viewer’s channel page.

However, there are some limitations to this feature. First of all, creators do not have the ability to prohibit comments from being featured in a Short. They can only turn off comments on their videos if they want to avoid this situation. Secondly, neither the creator whose video the comment is on nor the comment author will be notified when a Short is created from their comment. Thirdly, the feature is only available for a limited number of users at the moment, so not everyone can try it out.

What are the benefits?

The viewer-created Shorts featuring comments feature could have some benefits for both viewers and creators. For viewers, it could be a fun and easy way to express themselves and interact with other users. It could also help them discover new content and channels based on their interests and preferences. For creators, it could increase their exposure and reach, as well as generate more engagement and feedback on their videos.

What are the challenges?

The viewer-created Shorts featuring comments feature could also pose some challenges for both viewers and creators. For viewers, it could be a source of spam, harassment, or misinformation. Some users might abuse the feature to create inappropriate or offensive Shorts from comments that are not related to the video or that violate YouTube’s policies. For creators, it could be a loss of control over their content and reputation. Some creators might not appreciate having their comments used for other purposes or having their videos associated with Shorts that they do not endorse or agree with.

What are the alternatives?

YouTube is not the first video-sharing platform to offer a feature that allows viewers to create content from comments. TikTok, for example, has had a similar feature for some time. Users can tap on a comment and choose to “Make a video reply” or “Stitch” it with another video. This allows them to create duets or reactions with other users’ comments or videos.

However, TikTok’s feature has some differences from YouTube’s experiment. First of all, TikTok users can only create content from comments on their own videos or videos that they have liked or commented on. They cannot create content from comments on any video they watch. Secondly, TikTok users can choose whether to allow others to create content from their comments or not. They can turn off this option in their privacy settings or on individual videos. Thirdly, TikTok users will be notified when someone creates content from their comment or video. They can also see who created it and what they said or did.

What are your thoughts?

YouTube’s viewer-created Shorts featuring comments feature is an interesting experiment that could have some potential benefits and challenges for both viewers and creators. It is still unclear whether this feature will be rolled out to more users or not, or whether it will be modified or improved based on user feedback.

What do you think of this feature? Would you use it or not? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments below!