With 2013 just around the corner, Google is starting early with its resolution to remove millions of fake views on its popular video streaming service, YouTube. According to Daily Dot, around 2 billion fake views were removed from YouTube channels belonging to Sony/ BMG, Universal Music Group, and RCA Records, following reports of black hat view count-building techniques. These techniques required using unethical search engine optimization tactics that increases view counts.
For example, Tapangoldy, a 16-year-old seller of YouTube views, uses Fiverr as a conduit for his services. Tapangoldy offers “very fast” 10,800 plus YouTube views within 24 hours for just $5. Universal Music Group suffered the most loss, with its YouTube channel losing over 1 billion views. Next in line is Sony/ BMG, who dropped more than 850 million views in one day following Google’s decision to purge fake views. On the other hand, RCA Records lost around 159 million views. Google says that these companies violated its terms of services, which prohibits automated methods of inflating view counts.