YouTube provides monetization guidelines for 8 areas

YouTube provides monetization guidelines for 8 areas

For YouTube, rating content accurately is key, as it demonstrates if creators understand what kind of content can be or shouldn't be monetized. As part of its transparency goal, YouTube has provided additional details to help creators go through the process of self-certification, as this program rolls out in stages to all creators.

Below is a short summary for the areas addressed by YouTube recently:
  1. Inappropriate language - Profanity is ok if light ("hell", "damn") or censored
  2. Adult content - Ok if nudity censored and skimpy clothing via appropriate setting
  3. Violence - Acceptable if mild in-game, dramatized in productions, or real with no blood / injury
  4. Harmful or dangerous acts - Dangerous acts / pranks are ok if done in controlled environment, no injuries
  5. Recreational drugs content - Acceptable if in music video, educational, and non-promotional
  6. Hateful content - Acceptable if via news discussing related topic, comedy that isn't harmful
  7. Firearms-related content - Ok if hunting related or safe environment with no suffering
  8. Sensitive issues - issues such as COVID-19 are ok if done as analysis; most issues not ok like suicide
These areas are broken into 3 types of monetization options:
  1. You can turn on ads for this content
  2. You can turn on ads but only brands who opt in will run ads
  3. You should turn off ads for this content
For the full details and content examples, click here.

Also to note is that YouTube intends to update the policy more frequently, at least every two months (so keep checking for updates, which can be found here), and to keep in mind that all content needs to meet the Community Guidelines.

Resources:
  1. Current and upcoming YouTube updates
  2. YouTube Self-Certification overview
  3. Rate your content with Self-Certification
  4. Advertiser-friendly content guidelines
  5. Community Guidelines
  6. How does YouTube's Self-rate feature work?

Date created: 2020-06-08
Date updated: 2020-06-09

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