NoTubed: The Chronicle of a Ban

The evening had been quiet. At exactly 10:00 p.m. I received an email from YouTube. “Oh, cool,” I thought. Something new to watch before I turn in. Only it wasn’t a video. It was something else entirely.

Hi, John Cavanaugh, We have reviewed your content and found severe or repeated violations of our Community Guidelines. Because of this, we have removed your channel from YouTube.

The email continued. But I thought it must be some sort of phishing scheme. But I popped open my YouTube app. You know…just to be sure.

• 

Rut roh.

I went back and read the whole email this time. Turns out, they’re just trying to keep the YouTube community safe…from ME! But I could appeal the decision. So, I did.

The first email response took me aback. It was from Google, not YouTube as the first email had been. Not that I didn’t know that YouTube is owned by Google. It just seemed to immediately raise the stakes a bit.

The email thanked me for contacting them, “…about your disabled Google Account.” What the Hell? I was reading this in my Gmail. So…really? I checked some other Google products and, for the time being, this seemed to affect only my YouTube account. Which is good. I guess. I mean…could be worse, right?

Within a minute, I had another email. This one, from “The YouTube Team” (yay, Team!) informed me that they had received my “account appeal” and they’d get back to me as soon as possible.

Point of information here: The original email had said this:

We have permanently removed your channel from YouTube. Going forward, you won’t be able to access, possess, or create any other YouTube channels.

So, to recap, according to YouTube I had done something severe or repeatedly that violated their Community Guidelines. The punishment for this was to permanently remove my channel and cut off my access to other YouTube channels. Which is all YouTube content. They hadn’t said so. But the result of all this is that I had been banned from YouTube. But, for what?

I’ve used YouTube since before it was a Google product. It’s easy on the consumer end. Just click and watch. And I do watch. Everything from cute cat videos to soccer match recaps and music videos. Or, I did watch them.

What did I do to deserve a ban? I honestly don’t know. I will concede that I have not memorized the YouTube terms and conditions. Did I do something unknowingly? Was I hacked, and someone did something that made it look like I was worthy of video execution, so to speak? Truly, I have no clue.

So, why am I making this part of my blog? Because, among my first thoughts, was that it could happen to anyone. Even you, dear reader.

With that in mind, care to join me on my question for information and resolution? Stay tuned.

Day 1

This morning I received an alert on my phone from YouTube. There was a new video on one of the channels I am subscribed to – ON MY YOUTUBE ACCOUNT! Well, that was a short tale of woe! Done and dusted now, though. Back to normal.

Mais non.

When I clicked on the alert, I got the same message that I could not sign in. It was a tease. But it also must mean that not everything is gone, right? How could they send the alert otherwise?

The saga continues.

Day 1.5

Early this afternoon I received the following email from The YouTube Team (go Team!):

Hi John Cavanaugh,

We’re pleased to let you know that we’ve recently reviewed your YouTube account, and after taking another look, we can confirm that it is not in violation of our Terms of Service. We have lifted the suspension of your account, and it is once again active and operational.

We’d like to thank you for your patience while we reviewed this case. Our goal is to make sure content doesn’t violate our Community Guidelines so that YouTube can be a safe place for all – and sometimes we make mistakes trying to get it right. We hope you understand, and we’re sorry for any inconvenience or frustration this has caused.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to us here.

Sincerely,

The YouTube Team

(go Team!) Actually…I added that part.

I logged in to YouTube account. Not only was I able to see videos again, I was able to finally get to the bottom of the sordid content that had gotten me in trouble. Well, kind of. You see, I can’t tell which one of the four videos on my channel is the culprit. Maybe you can help:

Video #1: A client interview on a public radio station. Completely understandable if that’s what did it. It’s over 51 minutes of talking, after all. And YouTube would only have had the six years since I posted it to root out the danger the Community. So, maybe.

Video #2: I’ve always worried about this one coming back to haunt me. It’s 27 seconds of a Wonder Pets Musical Flyboat toy that belonged to my son. Funnily enough, it’s the most popular video in my Channel at over 115,000 views! Someone might have complained that it’s just too damned cheery. So, possibly.

Video #3: The first of two videos taken at Tweetsie RailRoad. Both posted over 10 years ago. This one, at one minute long, shows the old No. 190 train pulling out of the station. I know, I know. It was a simpler time. I’ve learned so much since then. I dare say that I’ve grown. So, yeah. Probably that one.

Video #4: Unless it’s the other Tweetsie video of the handicapped access on the Tweetsie bus. My son was captivated with this at the time, so I missed the obvious Community threat. Certainly, it was this one.

Even been so close to something that you just couldn’t see it? That was me. I was blind to my complete disregard of the Community. There was only one thing to do. I had to make some kind of attonement.

Wait…wasn’t there a link in that email? Yes! I can just throw myself on the mercy of the…whatever…not really a court. But you get the idea. Apologize for my actions. Clean slate! Just click that link, and…

But…but that’s just a page that talks about what you can do if you’re in the YouTube Partner Program. Which, obviously, I’m not even worthy to consider being a part of. And I’m noticing a complete absence of an “apologize here” button on that page.

I suppose this blog post will have to be my apology. If you are a part of the YouTube Community, I have done you wrong. And I’m truly sorry. If you know what I did that did you wrong, please tell me so my apology can be more complete. And convincing.

Maybe I can make a video? Anyone know a good way to share it?

Trained in the Art of Deception: A Defense of Actors in the Age of Scandals

There’s a lot to be troubled about lately with the headlines of scandals involving actors. Just in the past month, we’ve seen Jussie Smollett, Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin caught up in alleged bad behavior. However, one aspect that I’ve not seen mentioned much in the media is the unfair vilification of actors as “entitled elites” who used their fame and fortune to cheat the system.

What bothers me most about that depiction is the broad brush with which this paints actors. Though the ones who achieve the most notoriety might be rich or even entitled, most actors are hard-working people who struggle with economic insecurity and even poverty in order to pursue their chosen field.

Along with musicians, actors practically invented the gig economy thousands of years ago. Many must worry about what and where their next job will be, even as the try to concentrate on the one they have now. And unlike an Uber driver or Grubhub delivery person, actors have specific skill sets and talents which are usually the result of years of training and hard work. Actors face more rejection than just about any job. For most, it’s hardly a glamorous life. Yet somehow, it’s a calling that remains fulfilling, even as they struggle to pay rent or afford healthcare. So, that Uber driver or Grubhub delivery person might also be an actor working a second or third job to make ends meet.

In so many ways, most actors are just like the rest of us. And, yes. That means a small percentage of them are unethical and deceitful. But isn’t that true for any profession? It might seem logical to think that those trained to embody characters would excel in real life deceit. In truth, an actor’s love for their craft is what keeps them honest.

So, let’s give actors a break. Unethical people are everywhere. And a few bad apples who happen to be rich and gained celebrity from their acting don’t represent the vast majority of hard-working artists with tremendous integrity, perseverance and grit.

Everything Right Is Wrong Again

They Might Be Giants were right.

Ever look at something that is apparently empirically true, yet still shake your head in disbelief. That’s me – this morning – looking at this article.

This is what guilt looks like

“Some men are born to blog. Others have blogging thrust upon them.”

– Socrates or maybe Seth Godin (note: need to look this up)

Today, I gained a new follower on my blog. I’ve now traded messages with her, and she seems nice. But if blogging is about being “of the moment,” I have no idea why someone would follow me now.

Groupon: Stunt or Stupidity?

Like many media-obsessed folks, I was on Twitter during the Super Bowl watching the critique of the ads in real time. Much of what I was seeing came from people in marketing or social media. And the 140-character limit made for necessarily succinct reviews. There was disagreement and some spirited banter. That is, until the Groupon ad ran.

The Roy With The Thorn In His Side

Maybe the best career path to being a college basketball coach is through marketing. Follow me here. If you’re in marketing, you’re at least used to criticism and second guessing. Being the target of blame and derision. Unlike some coaches who shall remain nameless. Like Roy Williams.

How About a Stimulus Plan for Marketing?

U.S. businesses are sitting on unprecedented amounts of capital right now. In many sectors, business has generally come back enough to make a little money. Not enough to hire people again. And certainly not enough to spend some of it on marketing. Perish the thought!

Know When To Fold ‘Em

The sage Kenny Rogers was full of great advice. But none was better than “…know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em.” That bit of knowledge is crucial in nearly every aspect of life. Whether you’re gambling with men packing pistols, running a floundering NFL franchise or assembling a marketing plan.

The Gap’s Gaffe Tastes Like New Coke

I suppose there are two ways to look at The Gap’s logo flip-flop. One view is that the company really listened to their customers and the graphic arts community at large and wasn’t too proud to admit they made a mistake. I’ve seen quite a few articles that take this stand. And this could very well be the case. On the other hand I have two words for you: New Coke.

Chevy – Poster Child for Sexism?

What a gorgeous bit is nostalgia from Chevrolet! Or whatever this is trying to be. Especially in tough economic times like these, I like to think about the possible target audiences. Even for a poster, which is not technically advertising.