YouTube removes another useful feature...

[freebrickproductions]

Apparently, per YouTube themselves, they'll be getting rid of the ability to add/edit annotations in videos on May 2nd, in favor of the end screens/cards things that they are pushing now, despite how useful they are. They are especially useful since you can put corrections and other information that you didn't think to add to the video when you first uploaded it, on the video itself where people can easily see it. After May 2nd, the only way to correct a mistake would be to re-upload the video with the mistake fixed, or to add it in the description, which we all probably know from experience not everyone reads. Here's YouTube's article on the change:

https://youtube-creators.googleblog.com ... s-end.html

We’re committed to helping you reach more fans and keep them engaged. That’s why we built products like Cards and End Screens, which are mobile-friendly tools that let you poll your audience, link to merchandise, recommend videos, and more.
Based on your feedback, we’ve made Cards and End Screens even better over time. You told us you wanted Cards to link to videos within a playlist. So we made it happen. For End Screens, you asked for the ability to import End Screens from other videos and use smart elements. So we incorporated it. We’ll continue to listen to your inputs, as always.
As adoption of End Screens and Cards has grown, the use of annotations has decreased by over 70 percent. For this reason, the time has come to discontinue Annotations Editor. Effective starting May 2, you’ll no longer be able to add new or edit existing annotations, only delete them. Existing annotations will continue to show when using a desktop computer. We wanted to give you advanced notice so you can adjust. So why now?
End Screens and Cards work on mobile: Annotations Editor launched in 2008, before the world went mobile. With 60 percent of YouTube’s watchtime now on mobile, why go through the work of creating annotations that won’t even reach the majority of your audience? End Screens and Cards work on mobile and desktop, giving you more bang for your buck.
End Screens and Cards are more engaging for your viewers: End Screens and Cards generate seven times more clicks across YouTube than annotations. In fact, viewers generally don’t love annotations, and on average they close 12 annotations before they click on one of them. And more and more viewers turn off annotations altogether.
End Screens are easier to create: You told us that adding annotations at the end of your videos is hard. With End Screens that process is now much quicker and easier -- in fact, up to ten times quicker. You can now import End Screens from other videos or use dynamic overlays to save yourself even more time.
If you haven’t already, join the many creators who are using End Screens or Cards. As always, thank you for helping build a better YouTube.

Also, as someone pointed out in the comments of the article, when it comes to the claim about the use of annotations dropping by 70% with the greater adoption of end screens and cards:

I also challenge their "As adoption of End Screens and Cards has grown, the use of annotations has decreased by over 70 percent." In my video editor, by enabling end screens, it disables the ability to use annotations on that video. Of course you'll have a huge decline when you make them MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE!

But, even with the backlash YouTube is getting, it'll probably be like all of their other hated changes (even when they claim that they'll listen to user input): they won't care and implement it anyways.

[TrickyMario7654]

Seriously Youtube!

[ZachL]

Annotations have never been able to be properly shown on mobile platforms, so I can see where they're going with this.

[Joosh]

I can also see where they're coming from with this, but it's not like the annotations are pointless. People do still use them, so there's no doubt a lot of people are going to be frustrated with this.

[ToledoRailfan]

I appears that they haven't removed annotations but just the option to add and edit them. I would assume that you still have the option to remove annotations from a video.

[freebrickproductions]

I appears that they haven't removed annotations but just the option to add and edit them. I would assume that you still have the option to remove annotations from a video.

IIRC, that's what they were going to do. They removed the annotation editor, so you couldn't add/remove/edit any annotations.

[ToledoRailfan]

I appears that they haven't removed annotations but just the option to add and edit them. I would assume that you still have the option to remove annotations from a video.

IIRC, that's what they were going to do. They removed the annotation editor, so you couldn't add/remove/edit any annotations.

Out of curiosity I decided to see if it would be possible if I could remove an annotation and it turns out I can as when I click on the End Screen & Annotations button as message appears that says "End screens don’t work with annotations, To use them in this video, please delete the annotations." I didn't delete the annotation as I had no interest in doing so.

[freebrickproductions]

I appears that they haven't removed annotations but just the option to add and edit them. I would assume that you still have the option to remove annotations from a video.

IIRC, that's what they were going to do. They removed the annotation editor, so you couldn't add/remove/edit any annotations.

Out of curiosity I decided to see if it would be possible if I could remove an annotation and it turns out I can as when I click on the End Screen & Annotations button as message appears that says "End screens don’t work with annotations, To use them in this video, please delete the annotations." I didn't delete the annotation as I had no interest in doing so.

That's about the only way at the moment.