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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
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{{w|YouTube}} (a video sharing site) used to have an odd quirk in its view counter. When a video hit 301 views, the view counter briefly stopped updating. This meant that YouTube was checking the views to make sure that no foul play was going on. The choice of the number 301 is due to a harmless off-by-one error; Numberphile produced a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIkhgagvrjI video] that explains all this very well (and has comically its view counter frozen at 301). At times the number 301 would catch some YouTubers off guard — for very popular videos, it might appear that the video has more likes than views. However, this bug is no longer present (although very new videos having more likes and comments than views IS still present).
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{{w|YouTube}} (a video sharing site) has an odd quirk in its view counter. When a video hits 301 views, the view counter briefly stops updating. This means that YouTube is checking the views to make sure that no foul play is going on. (The choice of the number 301 is due to a harmless off-by-one error; Numberphile produced a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIkhgagvrjI video] that explains all this very well.) At times the number 301 catches some YouTubers off guard — for very popular videos, it may appear that the video has more likes than views!
  
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[[Randall]] plays with the near coincidence of this number, and a conspiracy theory entity known as the {{w|Committee of 300}}. In this case, the video's first 300 views come from each of the Committee's council members who determine if the video will go {{w|Viral video|viral}}. The video is then released to the public by sending it to a regular person ([[Cueball]] in this comic) making the total number of views 301.
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More recently YouTube added a "301+" to indicate that the video has reached the 301 point and is awaiting review.
  
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The title text elaborates on this by explaining that the council also hypnotizes somebody to make him think they uploaded and shared that particular video.
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The author plays with the near coincidence of this number, and a conspiracy theory entity known as "The Committee of 300", ''The Committee of 300 aka The Olympians is a conspiracy theory which alleges the existence of a group founded by the British aristocracy in 1727.[1] Proponents believe the Committee to be an international council which organizes politics, commerce, banking, media, and the military for centralized global efforts.''  [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Committee_of_300 Wikipedia Article]
  
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According to the title text, the council does not seem to tolerate contradiction, because the member that suggests changing 301 to a random number to avoid suspicion is shot, silenced permanently, and removed from the council, therefore bringing the total number of people in the council down to 299.
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==Transcript==
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:[A dark room with various silhouettes of cloaked figures, apparently seated at a table. Above them is a YouTube video. One of the figures (a leader of some kind) is holding up his hand.]
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:Leader: ...then it is settled.
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:We, the 300 members of the secret council,
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:decree that this video meets our standards,
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:and shall "go viral."
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:Leader: Send it to one of our agents to be leaked to the common folk.
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:Off-panel: Some of them are noticing the number.
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:Leader: ...Add a plus sign to throw them off.
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:Off-panel: Very well.
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:[Cueball using a laptop.]
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:Laptop: Ooh! Check out this great video I found!
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:''click''
  
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==Transcript==
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:[Closeup of a YouTube view counter displaying 301+.]
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:[A secret society meets in a darkened chamber; a kitschy video involving two people and an RC helicopter is projected onto the background.]
 
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:Master: ...Then it is settled. We the 300 members of the Secret Council, decree that this video meets our standards, and shall "go viral".
 
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:Master: Send it to one of our agents to be leaked to the common folk.
 
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:Steward: Some of them are noticing the number.
 
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:Master: ...Add a plus sign to throw them off.
 
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:Steward: Very well.
 
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:Soon...
 
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:[A communication sent to Cueball, one of the many unsuspecting plebeians of the world.]
 
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:Email: Ooh! check out this great video I found!
 
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:[Zoom in on the viewer count of a YouTube video.]
 
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:View count: 301+
 
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
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[[Category:Internet]]
 
[[Category:Internet]]
 
[[Category:YouTube]]
 
[[Category:YouTube]]
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[[Category:Conspiracy theory]]
 
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[[Category:Computers]]
 
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[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
 

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