YouTube Says They're Going To Crack Down On Videos With Clickbait Titles And Thumbnails

Google announced it is stepping up its efforts to address misleading clickbait on YouTube. Google will be enforcing rules more strictly against videos where the title or thumbnail promises something that the video doesn’t actually deliver.

This is especially important for videos about breaking news or current events, so viewers aren’t misled when looking for accurate information. Google will begin rolling out these changes gradually in India over the next few months.

What is misleading clickbait?

Misleading clickbait happens when a video’s title or thumbnail makes promises or claims that aren’t fulfilled in the video, especially when the content is about breaking news or current events. This can leave viewers feeling misled, frustrated, or tricked—especially when they’re looking for timely and accurate information.

Examples:

A video title saying “The president resigned!” when the video doesn’t mention the president’s resignation.
A thumbnail claiming “Top political news” on a video that doesn’t cover any news.

To give creators time to adjust, Google will start by removing videos that break this rule without giving strikes. Moving forward, enforcement will focus on new uploads as Google continues educating creators about this update.