YouTube is to start automating the subscriber counts for all channels starting on June 16th, which will automatically remove suspended accounts from the total number of subscribers.
According to the Official YouTube Partners & Creators blog, the new system will be "similar to existing ways we ensure that other site metrics, like views," and is intended to cut out spam and make the channel counts more accurate and "meaningful."
The main changes include removing suspended accounts from a channel subscription as they occur, but also have a safeguard to reverse the action should an account be accidently suspended.
YouTube also reminded users that they could notice a "minor drop" in the number of subscribers after June 16, when the suspended accounts are removed from the total number of subscribers.
Neowin has just under 1400 subscribers on the official YouTube channel.
YouTube channel operators aren't required to do anything before or on June 16 when the counts are reset, as the system is fully automated.
Katie Hushion, YouTube Operations Specialist, had this to say of the change:
With that in mind, we’ll soon implement a new process to improve the accuracy of subscriber counts. It’s similar to existing ways we ensure that other site metrics, like views, are free of spam and abuse, and keep YouTube a fair playing field for everyone.
We can only guess at how much these channels get affected by the recount, with the largest (auto generated YT channel, Music) boasting over 85 million subscribers, how many will it have after the suspended accounts are removed?
YouTube was launched in 2005 and then purchased for US$1.65 billion in November 2006 by Google, it now runs as a subsidiary for the company.
Source: YouTube
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