YouTubers' livelihood relies on posting YouTube videos and monetizing it through advertisements. There didn't seem to be a problem until YouTube recently began strictly implementing their rules on advertiser-friendly contents. This has prompted complaints from YouTube Vloggers and other video creators.
YouTubers Complain
YouTubers are receiving notifications, specifically e-mails, that their videos have been demonetised. The ground on which they are being delisted in monetization is the fact that there might be contents in the video that is in violation of YouTube's long-standing advertiser-friendly content policy. YouTubers like Philip DeFranco and ChipDaddyTV insist that this is a kind of censorship and it might cause them to find another job and source of income.
Youtube: This isn't a policy change, its just a notification/appeal change.
Me: So before you were just turning off ads and not emailing us?— Philip DeFranco (@PhillyD) September 1, 2016
so the new YouTube rules state you can't swear. anybody know of any full time jobs going? — Chip (@_JamieCottrell) September 1, 2016
YouTube's Poor Execution Of The Policy
YouTube released a statement that they didn't change the said policy. Instead, they insist that they have only improved the notification and process to appeal. They assured the users that this will ensure better communication. However, the problem is actually in the poor execution of this policy according to The Verge.
Apparently, the rules of advertiser-friendly content may not even be known to most people. In fact, people are aware of this now that YouTube has become more transparent about executing the guidelines. Furthermore, YouTube had been sending demonetization notifications in the user's video analytics dashboard. Unless the user checks the said dashboard, he/she would not be aware that his/her videos had been demonetized.
This part of the process is the obvious change made. On YouTube's Help Forum, YouTube cleared the issue and reiterated that it has neither changed its policy nor how the policy is enforced.
What Is The Advertiser-Friendly Content?
Advertiser-friendly content should be appropriate for all audiences. Otherwise, it will not be approved for monetization. According to Google, sexually suggestive content, violence, inappropriate language, promotion of drugs and controversial or sensitive subjects are considered not advertiser-friendly.
YouTube Receives Backlash
People on social media are also disappointed about this issue. The backlash is even more obvious as netizens are trending #YouTubeIsOverParty on Twitter. They are enraged by the intense censorship of videos and the "political correctness" of this move.
