YouTubers have reported seeing their work retroactively slapped with unexpected age restrictions, or being demonetised, as a result of the platform’s recent rule changes regarding profanity usage and violent content in videos uploaded to the site.
These changes, which were first laid out by YouTube in November, state the platform’s “approach to profanity is changing” (thanks, Kotaku).
Now, all profanities are “treated equally” across the site, meaning words like ‘crap’ carry the same weight as ‘fuck’ as far as inappropriate language use goes (the site has, however, eased its stance on both “hell” and “damn” – these words are no longer classed as profanities and can be used more freely).
Previously, YouTube differentiated bad language based on “levels of severity” (light, moderate, strong or extreme), with moderate language being fine to use within a video’s first 30 seconds. It would not affect a creator’s ad revenue for that video.
YouTube now states creators can use profanities after eight seconds of video (but not consistently throughout) and still receive ad revenue, but any cussing used in the first seven seconds of footage, including thumbnails and titles, “may not receive ad revenue”.