Youtube is apparently demonetizing videos over new, vague "advertiser-friendly" guidelines
(EDIT) Or, rather, it's not a new policy, but just one that finally hit a Youtuber with a big enough following to raise a bigger stink about it. Which means that lots of "little guy" Youtubers have most assuredly been having to deal with this shit for a while now. See also, #WTFU. (/EDIT)
Here is what they consider to be non-advertiser-friendly content:
Content that is considered "not advertiser-friendly" includes, but is not limited to:
Hell, the "profanity and vulgar language" thing alone would kill most of the Youtube channels that I watch, such as Super Best Friends Play, Cinemassacre, Channel Awesome, Angry Joe, Pat the NES Punk, etc. And the "controversial and sensitive subjects and events" thing is just way too fucking vague and broad to be useful at all.
Honestly, at this point, I'm struggling to comprehend why any content creators are still bothering to use Youtube at all, if Youtube is going to have this gigantic a stick up its collective ass.
My guess, though, is that Youtube will start backpedaling super hard over this shit over the next few days or so and that, ultimately, nothing will change from what it has been up to now to any real extent. In any case, I'm glad I already don't bother to host anything on there, even if I had anything worthwhile to host in the first place.
Here is what they consider to be non-advertiser-friendly content:
Content that is considered "not advertiser-friendly" includes, but is not limited to:
- Sexually suggestive content, including partial nudity and sexual humor
- Violence, including display of serious injury and events related to violent extremism
- Inappropriate language, including harassment, profanity and vulgar language
- Promotion of drugs and regulated substances, including selling, use and abuse of such items
- Controversial or sensitive subjects and events, including subjects related to war, political conflicts, natural disasters and tragedies, even if graphic imagery is not shown
Hell, the "profanity and vulgar language" thing alone would kill most of the Youtube channels that I watch, such as Super Best Friends Play, Cinemassacre, Channel Awesome, Angry Joe, Pat the NES Punk, etc. And the "controversial and sensitive subjects and events" thing is just way too fucking vague and broad to be useful at all.
Honestly, at this point, I'm struggling to comprehend why any content creators are still bothering to use Youtube at all, if Youtube is going to have this gigantic a stick up its collective ass.
My guess, though, is that Youtube will start backpedaling super hard over this shit over the next few days or so and that, ultimately, nothing will change from what it has been up to now to any real extent. In any case, I'm glad I already don't bother to host anything on there, even if I had anything worthwhile to host in the first place.