YouTube is taking a significant step to improve the user experience by cracking down on clickbait titles and thumbnails. The video-sharing platform has announced a new policy to remove content that promises viewers "something that the video doesn't deliver," with a particular focus on videos related to breaking news or current events.

The policy change was first spotted by TechCrunch and confirmed by YouTube in a blog post. According to YouTube spokesperson Jack Malon, the new policy will "slowly" roll out in India first, before expanding to more countries in the "coming months." This move is seen as a significant effort to combat "egregious" clickbait that misleads viewers and undermines the credibility of the platform.

YouTube has provided examples of what constitutes egregious clickbait, including video titles that claim a president has resigned when no such event has occurred, or thumbnails that promise top political news but are attached to videos with no news content. The company aims to remove such content to ensure that users are not deceived or misled by false promises.

In the initial rollout in India, YouTube will remove violating content without issuing strikes to creators. However, as the policy takes effect, the company's enforcement efforts will prioritize new video uploads moving forward. This approach is seen as a way to educate creators about the new policy and encourage them to comply.

The move to combat clickbait is a significant step forward for YouTube, which has faced criticism in the past for allowing misleading content to proliferate on its platform. By taking a tougher stance on clickbait, YouTube aims to improve the overall user experience and maintain the trust of its users.

The implications of this policy change are far-reaching, with potential benefits for users, creators, and the platform as a whole. By removing clickbait content, YouTube can reduce user frustration and increase engagement with high-quality content. Creators who focus on producing valuable and accurate content will also benefit from the change, as their videos will be more likely to be discovered and viewed.

As YouTube expands this policy to more countries in the coming months, it will be interesting to see how creators adapt to the new rules and how the platform enforces them. One thing is clear, however: YouTube's crackdown on clickbait is a welcome move that can only improve the quality of content on the platform.