YouTube UK Blog: 2017

Bringing Internet Citizens - our program to support a better, more positive web - to 20,000 more of you in the UK.

Friday, 28 July 2017

Back in April, we told you about Internet Citizens, a Creators for Change program designed to help young people get the most out of YouTube and the wider web, and enable positive experiences online.

Yvette Cooper MP, Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, joins YouTube CEO. Susan Wojcicki and Creator for Change, Humza Arshad at London’s Internet Citizens Workshop.

Every day we see your creativity shine on YouTube and frankly, we marvel at your panache in tackling all manner of subjects, some pretty tough. You take on stereotypes with style, like Dina Tokio and counter negativity with comedy, like Humza Arshad.
But we also know it’s not always easy and that you can face challenges online. We’ve all come across comments or content online that’s shocked or even offended us, sometimes leaving us feeling isolated or powerless to change the conversation.
That’s why - along with YouTube creator Nadir Nahdi of BENI, Alain “Fusion” Clapham and Efe Ezekiel - we’ve travelled the country running workshops to explore the issues you’re facing and provide practical support on how to handle them. Nadir says it best: “we aim to give young people the knowhow and confidence to assert themselves, tell their own stories and thrive online.”
From how to deal with offensive speech, to learning how to think critically about what you see online, and using tools like flagging and comment moderation, we’ve covered a lot of ground with the 500 young people we’ve met so far and sparked a lot of creativity on the way.
Thanks to great feedback (and high demand!), today we’re pleased to announce we’re bringing the Internet Citizens programme to 20,000 more of you in the UK, through workshops, youth workers and schools. We’re also going to make our curriculum, developed with many fantastic partners including ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue), UK Youth and Livity, available to everyone through our Internet Citizens site in August.
We set out with the goal of inspiring you but as ever, you’ve inspired us. We’re looking forward to meeting more of you over the next months and continuing the work of Internet Citizens - to make a better, more positive web, for everyone.
Naomi Gummer HEAD OF PUBLIC POLICY, GOOGLE UK

You have the #PowerToDecide

Friday, 2 June 2017

Every day you show us how strong your voice is. Whether you’re campaigning about climate change, or supporting your favourite creator to raise money for a cause you care about, or just being downright funny, we’re never in doubt of your passion or power to make yourself heard.
The General Election on the 8th of June is an opportunity for people to have their voices heard -- by walking into poll booths and casting their votes. Tons of you are watching the election debates, chewing over the issues and thinking about who to vote for. And we encourage people - especially young people - to use their #PowerToDecide and make themselves heard in Westminster next week.

From Humza Arshad to Suli Breaks to FunForLouis, creators from across YouTube are lending support to the #PowerToDecide campaign and uploading their own videos, like the Mandeville Sisters to rally their fans to vote in the run up to polling day.

Use your #PowerToDecide. Vote on 8th June.
Alina Dimofte, Public Policy at YouTube just watched Election blind dates: Toff and Jack Monroe

Meet NextUp London’s Class of 2017...

Monday, 15 May 2017

Creators,
It’s that time of year again - when we invite the winners of our NextUp contest into YouTube HQ and give them training to take their channels to the next level. We love this time of year, and second only to spending time with our winners is seeing what they go on to do next :)
After reviewing hundreds of entries, we’re excited to announce this year’s Class of 2017...

Science and Maths by Primrose Kitten

On May 22nd, these creators will join us for week-long creator camp at the YouTube Space London. On top of video production workshops and coaching from the YouTube Partnerships team on how to grow their audience like a pro, creators will also meet a range of folks within YouTube to gain insights on the platform and on the industry. Winners will also receive a voucher for production equipment.

A pic from last year's NextUp Class of 2016

If you’re in France, India or Japan and would like to join us over at an upcoming NextUp, we’re currently accepting entries through Wednesday, May 17th. For more information, visit youtube.com/nextup and follow the action on Twitter with #YTNextUp.
Jules Fournier, YouTube NextUp program manager, recently watched “my favourite poetry books | Lucy Moon”, previous NextUp winner

Internet Citizens: Let's make a better web

Friday, 21 April 2017

The internet is a place where anyone can have a voice, be part of a community and generate positive social change. But the internet isn’t always positive or welcoming for everyone.

Nearly all of us will have come across comments or content online that shocked or even offended us, sometimes leaving us feeling isolated or powerless to change the conversation. For young people in particular, this sense of vulnerability can be heightened especially when something is shared on social media by a trusted friend.

That’s why we’re launching Internet Citizens, a series of day-long workshops for 13-18 year olds in cities across the U.K., as part of our global YouTube Creators for Change program, which supports creators who are tackling social issues and promoting awareness, tolerance and empathy on their YouTube channels. The workshops will help young people find a positive sense of belonging online and teach skills on how to participate safely and responsibly, and use tools such as flagging and comment moderation to make the web better for all. Some of the specific topics include what could be done in response to offensive speech, fake news, echo chambers and how they could use video to bring diverse groups together.

Participants at an Internet Citizens pilot session

Our curriculum was designed by experts from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, in partnership with UK Youth and Livity, and was also informed by our work with an advisory council including Faith Associates, Active Change Foundation, the MET Police, Demos and the Diana Award. Hosting these workshops are Alain “Fusion” Clapham and Efe Ezekiel, along with YouTube creator Nadir Nahdi, Founder of BENI, all of whom have mastered the art of using their voice and creativity to drive social change.

We’ve spent the last few weeks testing the workshop before our launch today in Liverpool, and have seen some promising results. With the help of UK Youth, we’ll visit youth clubs across the country over the coming months, and we’ll also explore ways to work further with youth workers and other partners to scale the program.

This is just one part of our commitment to a better web. Alongside this, we’re exploring more innovative ways to use technology and to partner with experts to help us tackle hate speech online. We’ll share more updates on these areas in the coming weeks.

And Fusion said it best: The internet is what we want it to be. It can be an unpleasant place where people misunderstand and deliberately deceive each other. Or it can be this amazing place where we can share, collaborate, understand and help each other.

We all have a part to play in making it that positive, healthy place. It sounds big, but actually it’s easy and you know what to do. Stand up for the web you want.

To find out more about Internet Citizens, please visit our website.

Posted by Naomi Gummer, Head of Public Policy, Google UK

YouTube UK Blog

Bringing Internet Citizens - our program to support a better, more positive web - to 20,000 more of you in the UK.

You have the #PowerToDecide

Meet NextUp London’s Class of 2017...

Internet Citizens: Let's make a better web

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