YouTube's internal access linked to major Playstation, Nintendo content leaks
What's the story
The recent PlayStation State of Play lineup was leaked following its scheduling on YouTube, sparking worries about Google employees' premature access to videos.
This issue has been underscored by reports from Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson and 404 Media.
In 2022, a similar situation arose when YouTuber KSI found that all the gift card codes he planned to give away, had already been redeemed before his video was posted.
Role
Google contractor behind 2017 Nintendo expose
A Google contractor was identified as the source of the 2017 Nintendo leak, according to reports by 404 Media based on Google's internal database records.
The leak gave an early look at Yoshi's Crafted World and was traced back to a Reddit user who posted an image of the trailer before its E3 reveal.
The picture contained an "admin.youtube.com" URL in the address bar, suggesting that a Google employee had accessed the private video.
Confirmation
Google confirms employee's role in Nintendo leak
Google confirmed the involvement of an employee in the Nintendo leak, as per a database entry viewed by 404 Media.
The entry stated, "Google employee deliberately leaked private Nintendo information," and "Former TVC [temporary vendor contractor] downloaded video with admin account, and shared unreleased Nintendo feature with friend."
Interestingly, despite these admissions, the incident was described as "non-intentional" in the same entry.
Response
Google responds to allegations of content leaks
In response to the allegations, Google spokesperson Matt Bryant stated that every flag reported by 404 Media "was reviewed and resolved at that time."
However, Bryant did not provide further details on how the tech giant prevents its workers, from accessing and leaking content prematurely.
This lack of transparency raises questions about the measures in place to protect pre-release content from being leaked by internal staff.