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0 pointslolinder1y ago0 comments

> This would cut into margins, but maybe it is not possible to run hyper scale companies only managed by a couple of engineers.

It wouldn't cut into margins, it would make YouTube wildly unprofitable, with no viable path to monetization that would ever pay for the support burden.

I realize that some on HN—it sounds like you included—are perfectly happy to argue that if a company can't provide human customer support to every one of their users then that company shouldn't exist, but most of YouTube's users would fervently disagree.

0 comments

some_random1y ago

There are two things here, first off no one is suggesting that youtube needs to have American call center reps available for every 9 subscriber channel, they're saying they need to have some kind of non-automated support staff. Secondly, this isn't just a youtube thing, google in general is famous for underinvesting in support. There's no reason to think that youtube wouldn't be in the exact same position if it was wildly profitable, like say GCP.

taormina1y ago

That is absolutely hilarious. There is definitely a middle ground between today’s “spend $0 on live human support” and “spend X% of YT revenue on the support a platform like YT demands”. There exists an X% where they are plenty profitable. It’s a video hosting platform subsidized by the largest ad network in the world.

lolinderOP1y ago

They don't spend $0 on live customer support, they spend X%.

At their scale there will always be high profile stories like this unless and until they spend enough to support every single user who runs into problems with their automated systems. Spending that much is completely cost prohibitive, so we should never expect to reach a point where we stop seeing stories like this.

taormina1y ago

What’s the job title of that live customer service agent? And how do you reach them? To the observing world, they act like it’s $0. There’s a world of difference in “sure, this is an always an expected edge case” and “oh well, let’s just let our systems systematically screw everyone”. We have this dog and pony show every week. Most days of the week. They don’t only destroy creators who do well on YT, you just don’t usually get critical traction on your Tweet. Then you what do you do? Beg on HN and pray?

tossandthrow1y ago

Clearly, as the parent commentor wrote, they are not able to solve it technically.

There is a segment on HN, it sounds like you are included, who believes that is is OK to entirely defer to algorithmic governance without any legal oversigt.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 pointslolinder1y ago0 comments

> This would cut into margins, but maybe it is not possible to run hyper scale companies only managed by a couple of engineers.

It wouldn't cut into margins, it would make YouTube wildly unprofitable, with no viable path to monetization that would ever pay for the support burden.

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some_random1y ago

taormina1y ago

lolinderOP1y ago

They don't spend $0 on live customer support, they spend X%.

taormina1y ago

tossandthrow1y ago

Clearly, as the parent commentor wrote, they are not able to solve it technically.

There is a segment on HN, it sounds like you are included, who believes that is is OK to entirely defer to algorithmic governance without any legal oversigt.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse