YouTube Algorithm Can Decide Your Channel URL Now Belongs To Someone Else

Posted by timothy on Tuesday June 23, 2015 @12:45AM from the spartacus-gets-really-confusing dept.

An anonymous reader writes: In 2005, blogger Matthew Lush registered "Lush" as his account on the then-nascent YouTube service, receiving www.youtube.com/lush as the URL for his channel. He went on to use this address on his marketing materials and merchandise. Now, YouTube has taken the URL and reassigned it to the Lush cosmetics brand. Google states that an algorithm determined the URL should belong to the cosmetics firm rather than its current owner, and insists that it is not possible to reverse the unrequested change. Although Lush cosmetics has the option of changing away from their newly-received URL and thereby freeing it up for Mr. Lush's use, they state that they have not decided whether they will. Google has offered to pay for some of Mr. Lush's marketing expenses as compensation.

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Re:Are computers taking over? by QuasiSteve · 2015-06-23 01:23 · Score: 5, Funny

Since when did we decide that it's OK for computers to make those type of decisions--and not allow human beings to reverse it?

Nice try, computer! Your font betrays you.
Re:No it doesn't by Bongo · 2015-06-23 01:32 · Score: 5, Funny

Thats quite a feat, subtracting 2005 from 2015 and getting 8. Hope you don't do IT for a living.
It's an off-by-one error.
Re:No it doesn't by capntao · 2015-06-23 02:28 · Score: 5, Funny

is that the rule of no thumbs?