The Internet usage has skyrocketed in India from past few years, especially with the launch of Reliance Jio, which offered data at dirt-cheap prices. With Jio, Internet users in India almost tripled within a very low span. With massive growth in internet users, apps like YouTube, Facebook and WhatsApp recieved plenty of Indian user base in no time. Especially youtube, the American video streaming platform got the attention of Rural and Semi-urban areas of the country.
With increase in youtube users many youtube channels emerged in India in last few years. Infact the most subscribed youtube channel in the world is also from India. However, to draw the attention of users many channels are using click-baiting as a common technique.
ClickBait on YouTube
Click-baiting refers to a technique where a customer or viewer is attracted and encouraged to click a link to a particular page or video. While click-baiting is a common practice on internet, Indian youtubers are going too far by using objectionable and obscene thumbnails which are completely fake.
Here is list of examples of fake thumbnails that are being used by some Indian YouTube channels.
In the above video, Rakul Preet Singh was completely dressed in the real video. The youtube channel called BollywoodKilla has edited the image in this way.
Another Youtube channel ‘Bollywood Sins‘ uses similar thumbnails for almost all videos.
In the above image, the Thumbnail has no relation with the content inside. The title which claim to detail the controversies of Aishwarya is using irrelevant and obscene images to attract users.
‘This is how a youtube channel presented news when Tamannah Bhatia was infected with Covid-19′.
It is clear that Indian YouTube channels are taking the advantage of YouTube’s liberal regulations. Though YouTube officially advocates against the use of misleading Thumbnails, it is impossible for the Company to regulate all the videos. After recieving many complaints from all over the country, Indian government is now taking measures to regulate the online streaming content in platforms like Youtube
