Today, I’m talking to Mark Bergen, a reporter at Bloomberg and the author of a new book about YouTube called. Like, Comment, Subscribe: Inside YouTube’s Chaotic Rise to World Domination.YouTube has always been fascinating to me because it’s such a black box: everyone feels like they know how the platform works, but very few people have a real understanding of the internal politics and tradeoffs that actually drive YouTube’s decision. Mark’s book is one of the best of its kind I’ve read: not only does he take you inside the company, but he connects the decisions made inside YouTube to the creators who use the platform and the effects it has on them.This was a fun one – keep in mind that for as little as we might know about YouTube, we might know even less about TikTok, which is driving all sorts of platforms, even YouTube, into competing with it.Transcript: https://www.theverge.com/e/23113078 Links:YouTube Partner ProgramHank Green on DecoderiJustineCredits:Decoder is a production of The Verge, and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.Today’s episode was produced by Creighton DeSimone and Jackie McDermott and it was edited by Callie Wright.The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Our Sr Audio Director is Andrew Marino. Our Editorial Director is Brooke Minters. And our Executive Producer is Eleanor Donovan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Bergen, a Bloomberg reporter and author of "Like, Comment, Subscribe: Inside YouTube’s Chaotic Rise to World Domination," joins the conversation to discuss the complexities of YouTube's influence and current challenges in social media. The hosts tackle the implications of Twitter's whistleblower case amidst its deal with Elon Musk and a potential partnership between Vice and a Saudi media outlet. They also explore the ethics of media funding and the delicate balance between financial survival and integrity in the digital age.

Mark Bergen, a Bloomberg reporter and author of "Like, Comment, Subscribe," dives into the shifting online ad landscape. He discusses how Apple's privacy policies are reshaping user data collection and impacting revenue for major tech players. Bergen explores the fierce competition from platforms like TikTok and the clash between privacy and profit in digital marketing. He also highlights how companies like Google and Facebook are adapting to these changes, raising questions about the future of targeted advertising and digital business.

George Ferguson discusses Boeing whistleblower report. Mark Bergen on Google's AI strategy. Drew Reading covers Lennar earnings. Amesh Adalja talks about flesh eating bacteria in Japan. Girish Saligram shares Weatherford's post-bankruptcy rebound. Corey Cantor shares BNEF's global EV forecast.

Despite YouTube’s massive influence, it's been chronically underreported on. But finally, Bloomberg’s Mark Bergen wrote the comprehensive, soup-to-nuts history of the site. His new book is called "Like, Comment, Subscribe: Inside YouTube’s Chaotic Rise to World Domination."Recode’s Peter Kafka talks to Bergen about changes to YouTube’s recommendation algorithm, its various attempts to make original premium content, the rise of TikTok, and FЯED. Plus, how the entirety of YouTube almost got filed under a tab on Google’s failed social network.Featuring: Mark Bergen (@mhbergen), Writer for Bloomberg Business and AuthorHost: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at RecodeMore to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter Kafka, one of the media industry's most acclaimed reporters, talks to business titans, journalists, comedians, and more to get their take on today's media landscape.About Recode by Vox: Recode by Vox helps you understand how tech is changing the world — and changing us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices