Why is the Youku barrage gone? The reasons behind the hot discussion across the Internet and user reactions
Recently, the sudden disappearance of Youku’s barrage function triggered widespread discussion and became one of the hot topics in the past 10 days. Users found that the barrage function on the Youku platform was unavailable, and related topics quickly appeared on the hot search lists on social platforms such as Weibo and Zhihu. The following is the background, reason speculation and user feedback data of structured organization.
1. Event background and timeline

| Date | Event progress |
|---|---|
| October 5 | Some users found that the Youku barrage button disappeared |
| October 7 | #YoukuBarrageWhy is it gone? The topic became a hot search on Weibo |
| October 9 | Youku customer service responds to "technical upgrade" |
2. Platform’s response and possible reasons
Youku's official customer service said on Weibo on October 9: "The barrage function is being technically upgraded and optimized, and the recovery time has not yet been determined." However, netizens have many speculations about this statement:
| possibility | Support basis |
|---|---|
| Content review upgrade | Recently, the Internet Clearance Operation has been strengthened. |
| Copyright restrictions | Some drama barrage involves spoiler controversy |
| technical glitch | Playback lag occurred during the same period |
3. User feedback data analysis
Through sampling statistics of discussion content on social platforms (October 5th to October 15th):
| platform | amount of discussion | Proportion of main emotions |
|---|---|---|
| 128,000 items | Confused 65%/Dissatisfied 25%/Indifferent 10% | |
| Zhihu | 32,000 items | Technical analysis 40%/Experience complaints 35% |
| Station B | 15,000 items | Ridicule 60%/Comparative evaluation 30% |
4. Comparison of platform differences of barrage culture
The incident triggered a comparative discussion on the barrage functions of major video platforms:
| platform | Features of barrage | Review mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Station B | High interactivity and many creative ways to play | AI+manual three-level review |
| Tencent Video | Focus on plot discussion | Keyword filtering |
| Youku (original) | Celebrity support concentrated | Block sensitive words in real time |
5. Opinions of Industry Experts
Internet analyst Zhang Qiang said in an interview: "The offline function of barrage may be the result of the superposition of multiple factors. On the one hand, the cost of barrage review continues to rise, and it is estimated that the processing cost per minute reaches 0.3-0.5 yuan; on the other hand, the membership conversion rate brought by barrage has shown a downward trend in Youku platform in recent years."
6. User demands and suggestions
The main demands of users collected on major complaint platforms include:
| Appeal type | Proportion | Typical message |
|---|---|---|
| recovery function | 58% | "Watching dramas without barrage would be half the fun." |
| clearly stated | 27% | "If it's important, just make an announcement openly and honestly." |
| Improve experience | 15% | "It is recommended to add the barrage switch memory function" |
7. Latest developments of the incident
As of October 15, the latest version of Youku APP (v10.2.5) has not restored the barrage function, but has added a "topic discussion area" in the comment area of some dramas. Insiders revealed that the platform may be testing new interactive forms to replace traditional barrages. This incident reflects the long video platform’s difficulty in balancing user interaction functions and operating costs, and its subsequent development deserves continued attention.
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