Spam indicator
Subscriber count is hidden
What it checks
Whether the channel hides its subscriber count from the public.
The exact rule
- It fires (100%) when YouTube reports the channel's subscriber count as hidden.
- It is N/A when the checker doesn't know whether the count is hidden.
- With the count hidden, two other checks can't run and read N/A: few views for the subscriber count and high video:subscribers ratio.
Why it can point to spam
A hidden count stops anyone comparing the subscribers with the views and videos, which is where bought subscribers show. Hiding it is also a way to hide how small a channel is while it poses as something bigger.
When it fires on a legitimate channel
Creators hide the count for ordinary reasons: to stop comparisons while a channel is small, or because they would rather viewers judge the videos than the number.
How to change it
If you run the channel and want the count shown, the setting is in YouTube Studio under Settings, Channel, Advanced settings: a box to display the number of people subscribed. YouTube's help centre does not document this setting at the moment, so its label or place may differ on your account.
Showing the count changes this one indicator. It also lets the two checks above run, and they may or may not fire.