Chameleon Channels: Measuring YouTube Accounts Repurposed for Deception and Profit
The researchers found that a substantial number of YouTube channels repurpose their content and identity, sometimes after being sold in online marketplaces. About a quarter of repurposed, sold channels disseminated potentially problematic content, often without being penalized by the platform. Handle changes, upload frequency, and the time since the first video are potential indicators of channel repurposing.