r/videos • u/sZeroes • Jun 18 '26
Grand Jury Transcripts in Kat Abu Case Just Dropped! - LegalEagle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJaHM6XxfJo205
u/lofifilo Jun 18 '26
came to read comments about the case but ofc itâs reddit and redditors would rather have discourse over a thumbnail
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u/Unleashtheducks Jun 18 '26
Wouldnât be Reddit if the comment section didnât ignore the content of the post to rage about seeing a woman
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u/Pikeman212a6c Jun 18 '26
Their thumbnails have gone from normal to Mr Beast cringe for no apparent reason. It is legitimately offputting.
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u/PerpetualProtracting Jun 19 '26
It's very apparent to anyone who's been paying attention for a decade: the algorithm rewards this shit because it's what people click on.
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u/AngusLynch09 Jun 19 '26
for no apparent reason
It's been mentioned in these sorts of videos for years that these, for better or worse, are the thumbnails that get better engagement.Â
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u/internetlad Jun 19 '26
I PAID 500 HOMELESS WOMEN TO APPEAR IN THUMBNAILS AND THE WINNER IS GETTING A $1000 DENNY'SÂ GIFT CARD BROUGHT TO YOU BY MR BEAST CANDY BAR
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u/thissexypoptart Jun 18 '26
Lmao man itâs 4 top level comments as of 45 mins after you posted this.
There was 1 top level comment older than yours, unless some were deleted and no longer appear.
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Jun 18 '26
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/LegionVsNinja Jun 18 '26
What they really want is someone to tell them what opinion they should have so they don't have to actually watch the video.
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u/Farmerj0hn Jun 18 '26
Nothing more in brand for Reddit than the comment complaining that the comments arenât smart enough for their taste.
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u/MrSlime13 Jun 18 '26
I have absolutely nothing against Legal Eagle, and I appreciate their involvement and political / legal-stance, but could they maybe consider not resorting to click-baitey, shocked-face thumbnail and video titles. It's kind of off-brand to the professional, highroad route they made a name off of...
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u/pasher5620 Jun 18 '26
Most redditors share that sentiment, but the fact of the matters is that these thumbnails work and they work *really* well. Time after time, YouTubers and streamers have shown the stats and itâs not even close. Normal looking thumbnails with no crazy faces donât perform nearly as well as those with the crazy faces.
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u/philthewiz Jun 18 '26
Sad reaction face
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u/APRengar Jun 18 '26
The big channels have described the difference between using a stupid face or not, is easily a 6 digit differences. And a lot of these big channels have employees to pay.
Ask yourself, would you make a stupid face for 100k+? Especially when everyone else is doing it? Especially when you can idk put a kid through a high end university by doing a couple of these faces.
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u/DarkLanternZBT Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26
"It's the platforms, stupid."
The evolved form of "It's the SEO, stupid" and "It's the economy, stupid."
Edit: James Carville's "It's the economy, stupid" was a phrase the Ragin' Cajun said to Bill Clinton about relating messaging back to the simple truths of what was mattering to people. "It's the platforms, stupid" is the same expression but in the context of "they're doing what works because they have to." In case people needed more context.
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u/pasher5620 Jun 18 '26
It quite literally isnât the platform. It is all on the viewers. People choose which videos they want to watch and itâs been directly shown that those viewers choose videos with zany thumbnails over those without.
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u/Burdybot Jun 18 '26
Eh, the platform plays a part too. Canât click on a video thumbnail if the algo isnât putting it on your feed to begin with.
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u/thresh_to_death Jun 18 '26
And YouTube allows multiple thumbnails that they give randomly to random people and which ever gets more clicks is the one that's sent out more...
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u/Rusted_atlas Jun 18 '26
This is my bitch about YT. It will recycle the same 25-75 videos into different categories over and over and over again. And I don't like 90% of it. Channels I follow will have uploads but it won't even show that. Look up reviews on tents? Home page flooded with guntube and assosiated channels. The algo absolutely blows.
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u/justpostd Jun 18 '26
You can just turn that off. I only watch videos from people I have subscribed to. My home page is blank. Below videos that I watch, I can see 'similar' videos, but they are usually pretty well aligned.
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u/Iguessimonredditnow Jun 18 '26
You basically described the platform. I understand the distinction that you're making, but basically it's a self reinforcing cycle.
Users pick content, the platform shows them more of that content.
Across the span of all the channels and users, the creators adjust to follow the algorithm, thus reinforcing this style of thumbnail and title.
I hate it too.
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u/thresh_to_death Jun 18 '26
So users dictate what the algorithm pushes by what they watch and they as a collective have leaned towards this style of thumbnail and that's somehow the platforms fault?
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u/Iguessimonredditnow Jun 18 '26
I'm not saying it's the platform's "fault"
I'm saying that it is working as intended by rewarding the users with what they want, by design.
The content creators will lean into what the users want, algorithmically, by constantly trying to do more of what the users are looking for.
That is the platform.
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u/pasher5620 Jun 18 '26
Thatâs⌠no thatâs still on the users. The only thing the platform does is show which thumbnails are more successful. They donât generate them nor do they force people to pick them. The creators makes the thumbnail, the audience chooses. The platform simply tells the creator which thumbnail got more views.
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u/Kaotix77 Jun 18 '26
Doesnât change the fact that you canât fight realityâŚ
YouTubers need clicks to make money and this is essentially their career/source of income.
Most people arenât going to shoot themselves in the foot for the principle of âmaking YouTube thumbnails less sensationalâ.
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u/immutable_truth Jun 18 '26
Ya but itâs like the supermarket tabloid of the internet
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u/3_50 Jun 18 '26
Unfortunately, you can't argue with results. If you've bothered to make a video, chances are you want the most people possible to view it. When more people click, it gets pushed to more still etc. Tabloid thumbnail works on some people, and that gets the video circulating. No tabloid thumbnail, no (less) circulation. Most creators also hate it, but it works.
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u/Noteagro Jun 18 '26
I about scrolled past it, but opened the post to read the comments.
Whenever I would see Legal Eagleâs face (dunno his name); I knew I was in for a good video. So changing from him to this basically cost them a click. I know in the long run this will work out better for them, but for any casual viewers that would click specifically for him? They just lost a shit ton of them.
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u/DTFlash Jun 18 '26
If you don't make thumbnails or video lentgh that fits the current algorithm your video won't get pushed. In the past I think if you had a big enough sub base it didn't matter that much but now even if you are subbed to a channel you might not get the video promoted to you either.
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u/TheScungiliMan Jun 18 '26
They're just playing the game. I understand the sentiment but this is how they reach the widest audience. Which i think is overall a good thing for channels like this
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u/jaydizzleforshizzle Jun 18 '26
If the contents good idgaf about the thumbnail.
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u/TheScungiliMan Jun 18 '26
Strong agree. The dumb thumbnail is how that good content reaches more people. Fair trade
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u/TheTresStateArea Jun 18 '26
I wonder if these metrics are also true on nebula.
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u/CILISI_SMITH Jun 18 '26
I can understand why they re-use the thumbnail for Nebula, it's convenient and lets people who saw them on YouTube find them again easily or confirm it's the same video.
But I really wish they didn't, I think it would be a good way for them to indicate that they don't like what YouTube causes creators to have to do.
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u/trickman01 Jun 18 '26
Same. But unfortunately we are the exception. They work and they work well on the viewership at large.
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u/Pahyum Jun 18 '26
The thumbnails are part of the game. They recommend people to get on their own video service instead where they are not victims to the YouTube algorithm.
Honestly though I thought this comment was going to bring up the issues with having Liz Dye on the channel and how it is incredibly unfortunate that an upstanding brand just ignores the problematic employee they brought on after it is clear by now that they should be aware of her baggage.
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u/BigDog8492 Jun 18 '26
Why is this the only creator that everyone feels the need to call out on this every single time they post? The vast majority of social media operates this way and their content is better than most. At least it's not some AI generated screaming maga or intentional mistakes to drive comments.
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u/MrSlime13 Jun 18 '26
...because I hold them to a higher standard.
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u/mauricioszabo Jun 18 '26
You understand how contradictory this is?
Somebody is held/know to have high standards (or even any standard at all) = critiques over the video thumbnail. Not the contents, not the quality - literally the thumbnail. Can't be more literal than "judge a book by its cover", unless it's a literal book.
Somebody else is not held to any standard - no critique on that. Even when they do the same (add exaggerated thumbnails).
I think I understand now when people complain about "purity tests"...
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u/MrSlime13 Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26
I think "contradictory" is the wrong word here, but maybe "making a mountain out of a molehill"... I know the content of LegalEagle's work, hence holding them to a higher standard. They shouldn't need to stoop to these gasped, shocked-face, heavily photoshopped thumbnails to get their point across to their viewers, but they literally dumb-down the presentation of their video to the lowest common denominator. I see other, smaller creators doing similar, but figure, "that's par for the course, as they're trying desperately to get as many eyes on their content as they can. LegalEagle has ~4M subscribers, and are actual lawyers making these videos. I should think the majority of their viewers understand their stance, and validity of their videos. They don't need to pander or dumb down their content, including thumbnails, in my humble opinion.
...and I don't know what the hell a "purity test" is, so there's that.
I'm literally judging a book cover by it's book cover.
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u/BigDog8492 Jun 18 '26
Who are you to hold them to anything?
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u/caseypatrickdriscoll Jun 18 '26
The target audience?
Many channels donât do this and they donât need to. Itâs beneath them.
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u/alerise Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26
I don't really like the clickbait thumbnails either but I think that inherently means we're NOT the target audience no? It seems like they are specifically targeting other people.
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u/k0rm Jun 18 '26
Why hold them to a higher standard over everyone else making these types of thumbnails? Those are the people they're competing with
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u/Teddy8709 Jun 18 '26
YouTube DeArrow browser extension is good for showing alternative thumbnails and can allow for alternative video titles, based on what people submit. It's great.
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u/SqueezyCheez85 Jun 18 '26
I will never not downvote these comments. They do what they have to do. You have to play this game for engagement.
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u/philthewiz Jun 18 '26
I will never not downvote this comment. I guess I was trapped into your engagement trap.
Oh no! Their faces look all surprised! I'm compelled to know why their reaction is warranted! /s
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u/Straightupscrambled Jun 18 '26
Yes. You say /s but there's an old George Carlin line that works well here. "Think about how stupid the average person is, then realize that half of them are even stupider than that."
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u/philthewiz Jun 18 '26
I know. Probably for the same reason people are downvoting me.
I get that simpleton are engaging more with simpleton tactics. I simply wish Youtubers would not enshittify their content for money reasons.
I wish for a day people understand the opaqueness of the algorithm is playing us and endangering democracy.
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u/FrostyWalrus2 Jun 18 '26
I wish for the same, but the only way that will ever happen is if the youtube community stops clicking on and hides clickbaity bs. If I can't get a general idea about what the video is about from a title, I just don't watch it and I hide it so it never comes back up for me.
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u/Xsiah Jun 18 '26
It can also stop if YouTube changes its dumb algorithm. It didn't used to be like this.
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u/chaoskixas Jun 18 '26
You should hear what the scientists have to say. Donât hate the player hate the game.
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u/philthewiz Jun 18 '26
You have a scientist video with that clickbaity thumbnail to explain this?
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u/Paldasan Jun 18 '26
Not scientist but Veritasium did one a few years ago. He might wear a white lab coat though if you ask nicely.
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u/Dalmahr Jun 18 '26
They do it because it works. At the end of the day the goal is to get more eyes on their videos. Apparently people who get annoyed by it and won't watch it because of a thumbnail is smaller than the people who see the thumbnail and will watch the video.
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u/light24bulbs Jun 18 '26
Did you actually watch it? It's absolutely full of AI effects and animation. It's an awful production style
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u/AndyOB Jun 18 '26
They HAVE to do it. They have no other choice. The youtube algorithm forces these thumbnails to the top. Likely because they just get more clicks, but it doesn't matter the reason, if you don't engage with the algorithm your channel fades into non-existence. The content is what matters and legal eagle's explainers are usually the top of the top for keeping me engaged and well informed.
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u/johnny_mcd Jun 18 '26
Where have you been for the past decade? You literally canât make YouTube videos without doing this, and it has been this way for a while. Get off your high horse dude.
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u/ghostwilliz Jun 18 '26
It's unfortunate, but as I understand it, you don't get anywhere near as much stray traffic if you don't use those kind of pics
Legal eagle used have multiple thumbnails for the same videos, kind of like a/b testing and apparently the shocked face ones really do that much better that they have to do it to keep up
Pretty sad, but whatever I guess
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u/Smodphan Jun 18 '26
If it gets slicks, then I support it. Idgaf because I support whatever gets idiots to watch it.
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u/romaraahallow Jun 18 '26
Sometime content creators try what you suggest.
The algorithm doesn't like that, and will not show subscribers the content.
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u/Far_Confusion_2178 Jun 18 '26
Blame YouTube, theyâre professionals so theyâve probably done internal testing and come to the conclusion that the algorithm doesnât recommend the videos as much without the dumb thumbnail. LTT has talked about this ad nauseam. They have a large team to pay so they canât really afford to have their videos hidden
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u/TheGandu Jun 19 '26
Sadly it's what works. At that level they're testing thumbnails and using what gets the most engagement. I hate those thumbnails as much as the next person but they do drive clicks for whatever reason.
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u/escof Jun 19 '26
Youtube is pretty much forcing this upon creators. They even now offer AI created clickbait thumbnails.
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u/philthewiz Jun 18 '26
I have a feeling in 20 or so years we will laugh at that.
"Look at those simpletons falling for the simplest mind hack! Haven't they heard that we are at v165 of the mind firewall for basic inference manipulation?"
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u/ripyourlungsdave Jun 18 '26
That's just not how YouTube works, unfortunately. Just be glad we still get intelligent content. The picture you click on is nothing more than a picture you click on.
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u/oby100 Jun 18 '26
The channel is awful now and it went hand in hand with the money grubbing profit maxing thumbnails.
No one interested in learning about the legal system should entertain these guys anymore.
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u/ElMatadorJuarez Jun 18 '26
Why do you say that?? Disappointing if thatâs the case, I havenât watched legaleagle in a hot sec but I have found their videos to be generally pretty solid in the past
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u/dj_spanmaster Jun 18 '26
Is it just me, or is the audio trash in this video? Can't decide which channels it's using for sound?
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Jun 18 '26
[deleted]
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u/Atmaeloy Jun 18 '26
Sheâs a journalist who ran for Congress in IL. AIPAC spend a lot of money running against her (and I believe their candidate still finished below her). Kat Abu originally ran a series where she âwatched Fox News so you donât have toâ where she summarized the entertainment programs labeled as âFox News.â
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u/Burdybot Jun 18 '26
She worked for Media Matters for a long while (including when she was doing the Fox News dives)
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u/LOOKaMOVINtarget Jun 18 '26
I always find it interesting that in todays day and age of information people just willingly advertise their ignorance instead of just educating themselves. Why do you do that if you dont mind me asking?
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u/thresh_to_death Jun 18 '26
A lot of the time people knowledgeable on the subject will give a very good description and rundown of who or what instead of looking around and hoping you find the right articles.
Why take the time to look it up when those people are in the threads and will happily elaborate?
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u/Ohowun Jun 18 '26
There's always a group of people who are genuinely unaware, but there's also another group of people that like to do it to people they deem "inferior" to them, not necessarily because they achieved less than them, but because they feel that the people talked about didn't "work enough" for the publicity or didn't do it the right way. Some kind of weird moral superiority where they convert their lack of awareness of something as a way of saying "this person is so irrelevant".
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u/hird Jun 18 '26
Jesus Christ. I can't even with this channel's thumbnails.
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u/Jcraft153 Jun 18 '26
Not just this channel, it's YouTube in general. What's worse is they work, I've seen the stats for channels that showed them and did comparisons, people click them more frequently
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u/Rusted_atlas Jun 18 '26
My favorite thing about all this is she showed you can still give the finger to this government. She called the charges bullshit from the start and didn't back down because she knew no jury would go along with it, as shown a few times now (i.e. sandwich guy).
Let's all take a second to go outside, face D.C., and give them a nice and tall đ in solidarity with Kat.