YouTube is updating its advertiser-friendly content guidelines to allow more videos on controversial issues to earn full ad revenue, as long as they’re dramatized or discussed in a non-graphic manner. These controversial topics include self-harm, abortion, suicide, and domestic and sexual abuse. YouTube notes that content on child abuse or eating disorders will remain ineligible for full monetization.
YouTube announced the change this week in a video on its Creator Insider channel.
“In the past, the degree of graphic or descriptive detail was not considered a significant factor in determining advertiser friendliness, even for some dramatized material,” YouTube explained. “Consequently, such uploads typically received a yellow dollar icon, which restricted their ability to be fully monetized. With this week’s update, our guidelines are becoming more permissive, and creators will be able to earn more ad revenue.”
The Google-owned company says it’s making the change in response to creator feedback that YouTube’s guidelines were leading to limited ad revenue on dramatized and topical content. YouTube notes that it wants to ensure that creators who are telling sensitive stories or producing dramatized content have the opportunity to earn ad revenue.
“We took a closer look and found our guidelines in this area had become too restrictive and ended up demonetizing uploads like dramatized content,” YouTube said. “This content might reference topics that advertisers find controversial, but are ultimately comfortable running their ads against. For example, content may be in a fictional context or voiced from personal experiences in passing or in a non-graphic manner. So, as long as the content steers clear of very descriptive or graphic scenes or segments, creators can now earn more ad revenue.”
The move comes as YouTube has been easing up on how it polices content on its platform.
The company told moderators last year to leave up videos that may violate platform rules if they are considered to be in the public interest. The New York Times reported at the time that these videos included discussions of political, social, and cultural issues. The policy shift came at a time when social media platforms were rolling back online speech moderation after President Donald Trump returned to office.
YouTube notes that there are still some areas where ads will remain restricted, as topics like child abuse, including child sex trafficking and eating disorders, are not included in this update. Descriptive segments of those topics or dramatized content around them remain ineligible for ad revenue.
