The new AI video generator creates lifelike eight-second clips from just a prompt. It’s amazing. You can try it free through Vertex AI on Google Cloud by signing up for a trial and using the $300 in credits. FYI: This thing was trained on millions of YouTube videos.
Viral missing cop post is a scam – June 28th, Hour 1
A viral Facebook post says a 27-year-old cop vanished. Here’s the deal: Sgt. Katie Cunningham is alive and well. She joins us to set the record straight. Plus, the truth behind the latest TikTok ban rumors and how tariffs could boost your YouTube views.
More YouTube ads incoming: I’m talking about 30-second unskippable ads on TVs. These used to be part of special deals, but now more advertisers can run them in regular campaigns. And yep, the six- and 15-second ones are still around, too. The fix? Fork over $13.99 a month for Premium.
250 million
That’s how many views over 9,000 pirated movies and shows pulled on YouTube, before anyone noticed. From Netflix exclusives to box office hits, pirates uploaded it all (paywall link). YouTube’s algorithm even gave them a boost.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Watching YouTube and want silence? Tap M on your keyboard to mute/unmute instantly. Useful when someone walks in mid-video.
📺 Fix your YouTube feed: Seeing stuff you don’t care about on your home page? Tap the three-dot menu next to the video and hit Not interested. Do it regularly, and YouTube will get better at showing you what you actually like.
YouTube adds AI summaries: If you’re a Premium paying subscriber, you might notice a new layout. At the top, you’ll see a featured video, thumbnails and an AI description. Tap the main one to start watching.
▶️ Save your YouTube channel: Back up all your videos, just in case. Head to takeout.google.com and select only YouTube and YouTube Music. Then, follow the prompts to download everything in one swoop. Your future self will thank you.
Keep YouTube videos private: Uploading something for work or family? Set the video to Unlisted, so it won’t show up in search, recommendations or on your channel. Only people with the link can watch. Just go to Profile (top right) > YouTube Studio > Content, then under Visibility, choose Unlisted and hit Save.
YouTube Shorts for channel growth: The algorithm pushes Shorts hard, making them a good way to get discovered fast. Just make sure your video is vertical (9:16, aka phone style) and under 60 seconds. Pro tip: Avoid copyrighted music, so you don’t get hit with a content claim.
One chatbot replaces 700 workers — June 21st, Hour 3
Klarna’s customer service team got replaced by one chatbot. Also, MrBeast spent $4 million on one YouTube video. If it flops, he says he’ll cry. Plus: Your receipts are covered in poison, and a ChatGPT story that goes way too far.
👑 Long live the king: Streaming officially beat both cable AND broadcast TV in May. The twist? Boomers sealed the deal, now bingeing reruns on YouTube, Pluto and Tubi like digital cowboys. The old networks are just looped SVU marathons now. Even Gunsmoke is streaming. It’s the Cord-Cutting End Times. Grandpa ditched CNN for cat videos in 4K.
$4 million
What MrBeast just dropped on a single YouTube video. That’s a full Hollywood film budget, minus the red carpet and plus way more slime. He spent over a year on it, with 171 days of filming and 11,000 hours of footage. The video is scheduled to drop on Saturday.
▶️ Test for success: Compare up to three thumbnails in YouTube Studio to see which gets the most engagement. Pick a video, click Test & compare under Thumbnail and hit Done. The test starts when your video is public. Wait up to two weeks to see the result: Winner (your best thumbnail), Preferred (good but just by a little) or None (no difference).
🛡️ Protect your kids on YouTube: Restricted Mode filters out videos flagged as mature (drugs, alcohol … stuff you don’t want them seeing). Click their Profile (top right) > scroll to Restricted Mode > toggle Activate Restricted Mode. Then hit Lock Restricted Mode on this browser. Bonus: It also hides comments.
Dub squad moves: YouTube’s letting creators upload different thumbnails for different languages now. So your Spanish dub can look Spanish, your K-drama recap gets Korean flavor, and MrBeast can act surprised in nine tongues. All powered by AI, but polished by human touch.
📺 Rated B for bogus: That $7.99/month YouTube Premium Lite plan is about to get a lot less ad-free. Starting June 30, you’ll see ads on Shorts, music videos and while browsing or searching. It’s all part of the push to get folks on full Premium for $13.99/month with no ads or background play.
📺 Watching YouTube at night? Turn on dark mode for some eye comfort. On Desktop, click your profile picture (top right), scroll to Appearance and select Dark theme. On the mobile app, go to Settings > General > Appearance, then tap Dark theme.
Self-checkout thieves, busted — June 7th, Hour 3
Nearly one in seven Americans admit to stealing from self-checkout. Would you? Plus, more wild tech stories: a $17 million North Korean laptop scam, the most powerful DIY laser on YouTube, and the new American drone built for privacy.
“Rilly big shoo”: I’m talking about The Ed Sullivan Show that just passed a million YouTube subs. Turns out there’s an endless audience for grainy footage of Elvis pelvis-ing and Beatles mop-shaking. Kids today don’t remember when every performance had 18 backup dancers, no autotune and a ventriloquist, but now they’ll get to experience all the grandeur.