YouTube puts onus on influencers ‘to be across’ advertising guidelines in wake of CMA crackdown as it opens up YouTube Space in London

The 20,000 square foot new Space is designed to give the UK’s plethora of creators a chance to enhance their video skill sets, a place to connect and collaborate, and the opportunity to use production facilities and technology unattainable to the self-starter.

It is now the largest YouTube Space in Europe, second only to the US. It includes three fully equipped, double-height studios and sound stages, 360 cameras and rigs, VR experiences, including HTC Vive and Jump cameras and 4K screening facilities giving creators the ability to live stream 4K to YouTube.

The venue is the first ever YouTube Space globally to offer live 4K productions over IP - currently not offered by any other broadcast facility in the UK, YouTube claims.

As YouTube Space London’s studio manager Marc Joynes said: “Youtube is set up for that, let's wait for the rest of the world to catch up.”

The Space will also be home to the first ever Creator Store, which will open to the public in September. This will home merchandise from a number of creators in the UK, Europe and US, and will act as an event space for creators to engage directly with their fans. This “full fan engagement experience” cements YouTube’s plan to act as a “one-stop-shop” for creators.

The launch of Space comes after two years of planning, and coincides with Google’s project to make King’s Cross its UK home through a major new office development.

It acts as a physical manifestation of YouTube’s “continued investment in quality content in the UK”, according to EMEA director Ben McOwen Wilson. He said watch time on YouTube in the UK is growing at 60 per cent year on year, where there is an emergence of a generation of people whose success is defined by YouTube.

An important part of creators’ success on YouTube is the fact that there is no director, Wilson said. There is no one from above deciding what content will work best.

“It is the audience and the talent’s ability to find their audience, to create that conversation, that is a massively distinguishing feature for our platform compared to other media”, he said.

In a Radio Times survey, whereby 1200 teenagers aged 13-18 were asked which stars were most relatable, YouTube stars dominated the list of the most with five making the top ten list.

“When asked about relatability - authenticity - our talent came out on top,” Wilson said.

It is this authenticity that is at risk, now that more cases are surfacing of misleading advertising on the platform. It’s why the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has signaled that it is prepared to clampdown on social media campaigns that mislead consumers.

A spokesperson from YouTube said “most YouTubers are really vigilant” with ensuring they follow YouTube’s own community guidelines outlining brand funded programming or paid placement, which the platform advises “should be made clear to the user”.

That said, the guidelines make it clear that content creators are personally responsible for ensuring their content complies with local laws, regulations and YouTube community guidelines.

“It is up to individual bloggers to be across that information, and we obviously encourage them heartily to do that,” the spokesperson added, “YouTube creators build their audiences on authenticity, so it is in their interests to be transparent around any connections to brands that they have.”

YouTube's community guidelines "encourages" brands and content partners to be transparent, reading "we at YouTube think this relationship should be made clear to user". No firm rules are implemented.

This is because YouTube does not see itself as a talent agency, with no official roles in place to mold or direct talent. It is up to the individual to ensure they get the adequate media training, either by themselves or through their talent agencies.