Technology

On TikTok, YouTube, X, and everywhere, ‘views’ are lies

Published

8 months ago

April 5, 2025

On TikTok, YouTube, X, and everywhere, ‘views’ are lies

Views are the most visible metric on the internet. You can see, in more or less real time, how many views something got on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and most other video platforms. X tracks views for every single thing you post, as does Threads. A view is the universal currency of success — more views, more fun.

But it’s all nonsense. Views are nothing. Views are lies.

You may not need me to remind you of this. We’ve known for years that view counts are meaningless, to the point that Facebook wound up getting sued for aggressively inflating view counts in an effort to convince people to make Facebook videos. Others have written thoughtfully about how stupid view counts are. But we still talk about view counts, view counts are still everywhere, so let’s talk once again about view counts.

A “view,” in reality, is not a universal metric. It’s not really anything. It is whatever a platform wants it to be, which usually has no actual correlation to whether someone actually encountered and experienced a piece of content. You can just make the views whatever you want! And if you don’t like the way the numbers look, make views something else!

Let’s just run through a few of these, shall we? The simplest ones to understand are the social platforms: Instagram, TikTok, and (as of last week) YouTube Shorts all count a view the second a video starts playing. This is objectively absurd. Every time you scroll, even if you immediately jump to the next video, the platform logs that you watched the video the same as if you’d seen the whole thing. That’s like saying, if you’re in a Best Buy and you walk past a TV playing Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, you’ve now technically seen Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Congratulations, you’re a pirate.

There are a lot of ways to game the social media ecosystem. One of them is to keep redefining your terms.

In a way, though, that ridiculously easy bar to clear is actually a more accurate measure than some others. On Facebook, for instance, a view is defined as “the number of times a reel or video was played, plus the number of times photos or text were on screen.” Since videos autoplay all over the platform, those two metrics are effectively the same thing. The metric is so unhelpful that Facebook actually offers creators two other numbers: three-second video views, also known as “people who pressed play,” and one-minute video views, which is at least slightly closer to “people who actually watched this thing.” Those numbers aren’t public, though, because they’d be much lower.

The view has been the universal Meta metric since last fall, when Facebook combined all its other performance and engagement metrics into just one. For photos, text posts, and Stories, the company wrote in a blog post, “Views are calculated as the number of times they appear on a person’s screen, including repeat views.” That used to be a different metric — your content being presented to someone was known as an “impression,” but they had to interact with it in some way before it became a view. Now it’s just views.

The idea that everything in your feed counts as a view is pernicious, and it’s everywhere

The idea that everything in your feed counts as a view is pernicious, and it’s everywhere. As you scroll on X, every single post on your feed gets a view as it flows up and off your screen. Posts that appear in search results, on someone’s profile page — anything that shows up on the page appears to be considered “viewed.” X’s documentation on post views is sketchy and vague, but its video rules are pretty straightforward: if the video was playing for at least two seconds, and half of the player was in view on your screen, then that counts as a view. All these videos play automatically, so we’re back to the same thing: if it loaded, you viewed it.

The reason so many companies have embraced such stupid metrics is both simple and self-reinforcing. If you’re the platform that counts views in a way that actually reflects reality, your numbers will be lower. Creators might see that, decide your platform doesn’t have the juice, and start posting somewhere they’ll ostensibly get more eyeballs. Advertisers might worry that they’ll be broadcasting to dead air. On the social web, momentum is everything, and sometimes you have to lie about the size of your party to get the first people in the door.

A screenshot of a tweet with 1.5 billion views.

If you believe the metrics, this tweet was a global phenomenon. You heard about it on the news, I bet.

In this way of defining views, the platforms also have all the control. Think about it: you don’t press play to get the video going, and you don’t have to stick around for it to count. Whatever the platform wants to get views, gets views. There is no step two, no intermediary, no actual matching of content and audience. There are just… views.

Even the Hollywood types are being pulled into the vortex of made-up view counts. Netflix once clocked a view only after you’d completed 70 percent of something — which, I should point out, is the closest thing to actually tracking whether you’ve watched something of any metric we’ve discussed so far. Now, it only takes two minutes for Netflix to decide you’ve watched something. Netflix actually picked two minutes because it’s “long enough to indicate the choice was intentional.” First of all, no it’s not. Second, Netflix knows how much you actually watched! It just wants the numbers to be higher — around 35 percent higher than under the previous metric, Netflix admitted.

Ironically, Netflix is one of the few streamers that explains how it calculates views at all; most keep their metrics quiet, so they can say things like “it was a huge hit!” without having to provide any actual information. Even YouTube is cagey about its calculations: it’s generally accepted wisdom that you have to watch 30 seconds of a standard YouTube video for it to count as a view, but if that’s official policy I sure can’t find it anywhere.

It is incredibly obvious, by the way, that all the companies peddling these fake numbers know what they’re doing. If they thought public-facing view counts were legit, they’d offer those same numbers to creators and advertisers. Creators typically get to see non-public data like watch time and actual interactions, but even they are consistently being given less and less to work with. Advertisers, though, have the run of the place: YouTube and other platforms still track impressions separately from views, but only for ads. (YouTube may count every Shorts scroll as a view publicly, but it only pays creators for what it calls “Engaged views.”) Many platforms even tell advertisers how many people watched a quarter, half, three-quarters, or all of a video. The platforms themselves are collecting all this data and more, of course, in an effort to better tune the algorithm. They know the answers! But they’ll never show them to you.

We’ve been doing this whole internet thing for a while now, and it’s pretty clear that just about all the metrics are bad. They’ve turned the internet into a game to be won, a system to be gamed, a race to the biggest numbers even when the numbers don’t mean anything. Maybe we’d all be better off without the numbers, but they’re not going anywhere. So all we can do is remember: “views” are not views. Views are lies.

Technology

Kindle app now answers questions about the book you’re reading

Published

6 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Kindle app now answers questions about the book you’re reading

Amazon has launched a new AI feature in the Kindle app that gives spoiler-free answers to questions about the book you’re reading and confirmed that authors can’t opt out from the feature.

The company calls Ask this Book an “expert reading assistant” in its announcement and says that it’s capable of answering questions about “plot details, character relationships, and thematic elements,” all while avoiding spoilers by limiting its answers to content from the pages you’ve read so far. It’s essentially an in-book chatbot, accessible from the book menu or by highlighting a passage of text you want to ask about.

Amazon spokesperson Ale Iraheta told Publishers Lunch that the answers are “non-shareable and non-copyable” and only available to readers who’ve purchased or rented books. Iraheta also said that the feature is always on, noting that “there is no option for authors or publishers to opt titles out.”

Technology

AI-powered bat tracking could give baseball players the edge

Published

7 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

AI-powered bat tracking could give baseball players the edge

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Baseball teams have long searched for a way to study the entire swing without sensors or complex lab setups. Today, a new solution is entering the picture. Theia, an AI biomechanics company, debuted a commercially available video-only system that analyzes bat trajectory and full-body biomechanics together. This new approach works in real baseball environments and needs no reflective body markers, wearables or special equipment.

The system has been field-tested by Driveline Baseball and the San Diego Padres Biomechanics Lab, and the tests show it delivers high-quality results in both cages and on the field.

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Theia unveils a video-only biomechanics system that tracks a hitter’s full swing without sensors or lab gear. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

A new chapter in baseball biomechanics

Theia’s platform relies on deep-learning models trained on millions of movement data points. It captures the full 3D bat path, attack angle, sequencing and body motion in one workflow that teams can run with standard high-speed video. This makes advanced biomechanics more accessible to coaches and players who train in normal environments.

Dr. Arnel Aguinaldo of the PLNU Biomechanics Lab tested the system with the Padres. He said, “Theia’s markerless technology represents a breakthrough in how we capture and analyze swing mechanics. It removes the barriers of traditional setups, letting us gather quality swing data directly from the field or the cage. That’s a game changer for both research and applied development.”

Independent testing across more than 2,000 swings showed median bat-plane angle differences of less than 3 degrees compared with marker-based systems. As a result, teams can evaluate roster-sized groups in routine cage or field sessions without slowing players down.

Why video-only tracking works in real baseball settings

Many existing tools rely on sensors or suits that can change how an athlete moves. Marcus Brown, CEO of Theia, explained to CyberGuy why video-only tracking matters.

“Using only video means teams get lab-grade biomechanics data that previously required a full lab setup, but without special suits, reflective markers, or hardware mounted to the bat or the player,” he said.

The system runs in the background once cameras are placed and calibrated. Coaches record sessions as usual, and the analysis processes automatically. Because of this, training routines stay the same, and players move naturally.

Brown added, “Until now, full swing analysis meant choosing between bat-only tools or biomechanics labs that couldn’t scale. Our new markerless technology changes that. Teams can now see the complete swing picture for every hitter using one system in an environment that matches their individual needs.”

How AI bat and body tracking improves player performance

A complete swing view gives coaches the chance to link body motion to bat results. Brown described why this matters for player development.

“Theia’s new bat tracking feature helps players improve because it gives coaches a complete and more accurate picture of the swing. Many tools today either measure the bat or the body, and many rely on wearables or sensors that can influence how an athlete moves,” Brown said. “When coaches can connect a player’s sequencing, posture, timing, and rotation to the bat’s path, speed, and contact quality, they can identify the specific movement patterns that drive results. That makes mechanical adjustments more targeted and much easier to track over time, leading to more consistent and meaningful improvements.”

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Driveline Baseball and the Padres Biomechanics Lab report strong accuracy from Theia’s markerless tracking tests. (Photo by Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

What players experience when teams use Theia’s system

Players will not need to attach anything to the bat or their bodies. They swing in their regular training spaces without changing behavior. Brown said, “For athletes, the biggest change is the level of precise personalized feedback they get. Coaches can isolate whether an issue is coming from sequencing, posture, timing, or how the hitter is delivering the barrel to the ball. That level of detail helps translate mechanical work in the cage into more consistent, reliable results in the field.”

Independent testing shows consistent bat and body data

Driveline Baseball and the PLNU x Padres Biomechanics Lab tested the system in both professional and collegiate settings. Brown said, “Our work with Driveline and the PLNUxPadres’ Biomechanics Lab showed the system could deliver high-quality bat-and-body data in the same environments where hitters actually train. What those tests demonstrated was consistency: the ability to capture the full swing automatically, link the bat and body with the precision needed for player development, and fit seamlessly into a normal training session.”

Why Theia’s system fits seamlessly into normal cage sessions

Sports tech can create workflow friction, but Theia aims to avoid that. Brown said, “We designed the system so coaches can use it without changing anything about their normal training routine. Once the cameras are in place, coaches simply record the session the same way they normally would, and the analysis happens automatically in the background.”

There are no extra steps, no equipment put on the players, and no training interruptions.

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Coaches can now review 3D bat paths and body sequencing using standard high-speed video. (Photo by Thien-An Truong/Getty Images)

The road ahead for AI sports performance

Brown believes this breakthrough sets the stage for future innovation.

“Player development is ultimately about understanding what drives performance, and this technology gives coaches a far clearer way to see that,” he said. “When you can connect a player’s movement to the result of the swing with objective repeatable data, you can build training plans that are far more individualized and precise.”

He also added: “This work builds on more than a decade of research and over 50 peer-reviewed validation studies focused on highly accurate markerless human motion tracking. It reflects where the field as a whole is headed toward integrated markerless solutions that give athletes and coaches clearer insight with far less friction.”

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Theia’s new bat and body tracking system reshapes how baseball teams study movement. It gives coaches deeper clarity, provides athletes with natural training conditions, and removes the hardware hurdles that limited biomechanics in the past. Fans may also see long-term effects. This level of detail can influence how hitters develop power, attack angles and timing. Young players may gain personalized training guides that shape better habits earlier in their careers. As video-driven AI expands across sports, tools like this give teams more ways to understand performance.

If your favorite team had access to this level of swing insight, how do you think it would change their lineup development strategy? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

You need to listen to Sudan Archives’ violin opus for the club

Published

18 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

You need to listen to Sudan Archives’ violin opus for the club

My introduction to Sudan Archives was the song “Nont for Sale” from her first EP Sink in 2018. I’ve been a die-hard fan ever since. With each album, she finds new ways to sculpt the sound of her violin, contorting it in defiance of expectations.

Athena found her in conversation with it, leaving its timbre largely recognizable and organic, veering from experimental pop to more ambient passages. Natural Brown Prom Queen embraced the aesthetics of sound collage, samples, and modern R&B, blending her violin with more expressly electronic elements. The BPM has identifiable violin passages, but it fully embraces the more technological elements of Sudan Archives’ sound.

The album opens with “Dead,” which begins with gentle orchestral swells and a processed, but identifiable violin. Then, at the 1:30 mark, the beat drops — what sounds like high-pitched vocal chops dance around the stereo field, and an undulating synth bass drags he whole thing to the dance floor. The track serves as something of a mission statement, with multiple movements exploring the various incarnations of Archives’ sound as she asks, “Where my old self at? Where my nеw self at?” answering herself by chanting “right here, right hеre” in response to each.

What follows is a volatile tour of dance music, from the four-on-the-floor funk of “My Type,” to the trap-tinged tongue-in-cheek sex raps of “Ms. Pac Man” — there’s even an Irish jig in the middle of “She Got Pain.” Across the record, there are flashes of autotune, drum ’n’ bass breaks, house piano stabs, techno synth bass, and, of course, soaring violin flourishes. Often, there are multiple of these things in a single track as Archives eschews typical pop song structures, bouncing giddily from one style to the next.

Unsurprisingly, the tempo on The BPM is generally amped up compared to much of Archive’s previous records. But it’s not all club bangers. “Come and Find You,” winks at 80s and early 90s R&B of acts like Sade. And often the lyrics turn to matters of the heart, “I found a way to travel to you even when we’re not in sync, I’m gonna find my way back to you, Even when it’s really hard I like the push and pull,” she sings on “David & Goliath.”

The BPM is a dense, hectic record that revels in its unpredictability and sonic shrapnel. It’s also my favorite record of 2025. Despite only coming out in mid-October, it was my most listened to album according to my Apple Music Recap. Sudan Archives The BPM is available on Bandcamp and most streaming services, including Qobuz, Tidal, Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube Music, and Spotify.