YouTube announced various changes to its monetization program in 2018, telling all the content creators running smaller channels that they would no longer monetize them unless they are able to grow their number of subscribers
YouTube announced various changes to its monetization program in 2018, telling all the content creators running smaller channels that they would no longer monetize them unless they are able to grow their number of subscribers to over 1,000 and increase the view time to over 4,000 hours within 12 months. Previously, people who wanted to join the YouTube Partner Program only required 10,000 lifetime views – which was the benchmark.
However, in 2019, things have changed. In addition to the view time and number of subscribers, many things might lead to demonetization of your YouTube videos. Starting August 31st, YouTubers have been receiving notifications from the website informing them that their videos have violated guidelines and they would not monetize them anymore. Most stars on YouTube, both small and large, have realized that many of their videos that go back many years are no longer generating any revenue due to violations. Some of them have stated that they feel betrayed because their freedom of video creation is under threat. But the truth is they had no freedom at all.
When YouTube started monetizing videos, they published guidelines for creation of advertiser friendly content. The rules allow YouTube to yank advertisements from any monetized video that their algorithm sees unfit. In August 2016, YouTube started alerting the video creators if any of their videos did not meet the guidelines. Even though the guidelines have been around for a long time, YouTubers who violate them are feeling betrayed. For example, Philip DeFranco, one of the platform stars, claims that he feels like YouTube stabbed him in the back after he dedicated around 10 years to produce content for the site. Video creators working hard to support themselves by monetizing the videos they publish on content, the move YouTube has taken might affect them adversely.
Here are some of the content that might lead to demonetization of your videos.
Cyberbullying or harassment
Never post an abusive video, message, abusive comments, and incitement to hassles, malicious recording or any other footage that crosses harassment lines. That is because YouTube will remove it and demonetize your account. They are also likely to ban the account permanently.
Violent content
You cannot publish any form of violent content on YouTube. That includes serious injuries and any event associated with violent extremism. Therefore, you should not post any content that contains violence or intended to shock people. YouTube does not allow graphic or very violent content, terroristic content and the age-restricted content. So, you might ask, are wrestling matches banned? What about the popular video our parents believed they would make us serial killers? Or is the cartoon violence banned? You might need to send your message to YouTube for clarification.
Threat content
Any threat for an individual or harming groups of people, mental harassment, physical harm, predatory behaviour, harassment, threats, revealing another person’s private information, stalking, invading privacy, intimidation and inciting other people to commit violent acts or violate the Terms of Use leads to YouTube demonetization. In other words, it is not permitted.
Misleading metadata, spam or scams
Any video that contains misleading scams, scams descriptions, keywords, keyword descriptions, metadata, thumbnails to increase the number of views, unnecessary comments, unrelated data, posting a large amount of untargeted data that is not eligible to ads will be demonetized..
Child endangering content
To know whether you are using child endangering content on your YouTube channel, you should work closely with law enforcement. You should avoid any messaging, commenting and engaging data that sexualize minors because YouTube will remove such content permanently. If you post any video that contains sexual abuse, YouTube will report you to NCMEC and your videos will be demonetized.
Copyright content
Use only authorized content on your YouTube channel to avoid YouTube demonetization of your videos. In other words, you should not use the content you copy from other sources, including data, background music, copyright programs, snippets or any other form of video content. If you find any used copyright content, you should visit the copyright counter to report.
Sexual content and nudity
YouTube demonitize any video that displays the focal points of your body parts, nudity, sexual simulations, sex toys, sexual devices because it is unsuitable for users. However, YouTube is offering limited exemptions to the non graphic sexual education videos.
Harmful content
The video content in this category includes those consisting of sexually oriented content, religion, ethnic origin, characters of marginalization, gender identity, disabilities, groups and individual race that are unsuitable for advertisements. They have exempted satiric and comic content from the advertising guidelines. Moreover, any video content that includes painful instruments, physical and emotional injuries such as cosmetic procedures and sexual harassment or humiliation is not allowed for ads.
Content affecting privacy of other people
If someone used any video or content from your YouTube account without your permission, you might report him/her as per the YouTube privacy guidelines. Some of the factors that YouTube consider private are your image, voice, contact details, full name and financial information.
Content promoting drugs and the regulated substances
YouTube does not allow promotion of drugs and the regulated substances on the monetized accounts. That includes use, selling and abuse of the items. Actually, you are likely to lose your right to monetize by promoting caffeine products. YouTube demonitize channels that promote both legal and illegal substances.
Inappropriate language
You do not have to produce YouTube content as your sole source of revenue. However, if you are planning to generate your revenue through YouTube, you should know that any inappropriate language would lead to the demonetization of your videos. Some words like dang, damn, shoot and hell are safe – according to YouTube – and they will not affect their monetization decision. Some other terms heard on primetime TV shows such as “fuck” are also ok but you have to avoid using them repeatedly at the start of the video. The words should not appear on the thumbnail and title of the video.
Next of youtube demonitize
To create perfect video content for your YouTube channel, you have to consider all the guidelines. That way, you will not only avoid demonetization of the videos, but you will produce content that is good and safe for your target audience. Some years ago, people thought that YouTube disallowed cursing and sexual content, but today, it is more than that. You have to be careful when selecting a title for your video, the thumbnail image and the language you use at the start of your videos. YouTube claims that words like dang, damn, hell and shoot are safe and they will not affect their monetization decisions.