Google has launched Fan Funding, a new way to give your favorite YouTube stars a tip directly from their videos, Gizmodo reported Tuesday.
When users play a video from a channel that accepts donations, they'll see a small icon on the top left corner of the video. Hovering over it will reveal a banner that prompts the support of the videographer, or a pop-up might be seen directly on top of the video where users will be asked how much they wish to donate.
Fan funding isn't confined to internet browsers and also works with the YouTube Android app, according to Android Police. If a donation is made, YouTube will take a cut to handle the transaction. How much the company makes will be determined by the country. In the U.S., YouTube keeps 5 percent plus 21 cents. In Japan, it pockets 5 percent plus 22 Yen.
If an American YouTube user makes a $10 donation, the company will keep 71 cents of that to support the transaction. The vast majority of all donated funds go directly to the video creator and are processed using Google Wallet.
Fan Funding is only available in Australia, Japan, Mexico and the U.S. so far. Google is currently working to bring the option to more countries going forward. People in these four countries can take advantage of the future right now with a browser or a version 5.7 and above of the YouTube Android app. Support for other platforms may also be coming down the pipeline.
