Barb Pauses Pioneering YouTube Data after Legal Letter

Google has this month issued both Kantar Media and Barb with 'cease-and-desist' letters, according to reports, suggesting they have exceeded the terms of last year's agreement to measure the audience for creator-driven content on YouTube.

Barb, along with research partner Kantar Media, announced in February last year that it would begin measurement of viewing of YouTube on TV sets - described as 'a world first'. The UK audience body had already been reporting for around four years on YouTube content distributed by TV companies - for example through Channel 4 and ITV deals to put out hundreds of hours of their programming on YouTube - but from July it added daily reporting on viewing volumes for 200 selected YouTube channels, categorised by content creator and meeting industry standards for brand safety. The chosen channels included kids' content such as Bluey and Peppa Pig; sports like FIFA and WWE; news and politics; entertainment; and popular YouTubers such as Mr Beast, Sidemen and Topper Guild.

A possible hint that all was not well in the relationship came in July in the form of Google discontinuing its subscription to Barb - although Google played down the significance, stating that 'like any business' it regularly reviews its 'subscriptions, licences and data suppliers', and had simply decided not to renew Barb for Q3.

According to reports first appearing in the Financial Times, Google's attorneys have now written to the partners requiring them to halt the publication of data, and the firms have paused. As yet there is no formal legal challenge to their actions.

Unsubstantiated claims online have suggested the tech giant might be uncomfortable with the level of detail on which shows are viewed, for example the comfortable table-topping position (see image) of the official Peppa Pig channel, or the fact that according to Barb this was still only seen by around 758,000 viewers during the week measured, equivalent to just 1.2% of all those aged four and above who watched for at least three consecutive minutes. Nielsen publishes information about YouTube viewing compared to other media (streaming, broadcast and cable), twice a month in The Gauge and the Media Distributor Gauge, and has recently confirmed its no.1 position in total watch time, but does not go into detail on what is being streamed on YouTube. The service has begun to position itself as 'the new TV', as it seeks more big brand advertising revenue.

The FT's article cited 'two people familiar with the matter' and said that Google did not agree the service provided by Barb and Kantar Media was representative of the platform's audience, although the legal challenge specifically references a breach in contract terms, relating to the audio matching technology used. Kantar Media and Barb have declined to comment on the matter, beyond saying that the service is 'paused.' YouTube meanwhile said it had a 'long track record of providing access to third parties for research and reporting, and all third parties must respect the necessary terms of service and policies when using our API.' In cases where this is not adhered to, YouTube 'must act quickly and consistently to protect its ecosystem, including the rights of creators.'

Web sites: www.barb.co.uk and www.kantarmedia.com .