YouTube is updating its advertiser-friendly content guidelines to allow more videos that discuss controversial issues to earn full ad revenue, provided the material is presented in a non-graphic or dramatized manner. The change applies to topics such as self-harm, suicide, abortion, and domestic or sexual abuse, while content involving child abuse or eating disorders will remain ineligible for full monetization.
The update was announced this week in a video published on YouTube’s Creator Insider channel, where the company said its previous standards had become too restrictive for certain types of content.
What Is Changing In The Guidelines
YouTube said that in the past, the level of graphic or descriptive detail was not a major factor when assessing advertiser friendliness, even for dramatized or fictional material. As a result, many videos received a limited monetization status, indicated by a yellow dollar icon.
Under the revised rules, creators who reference sensitive topics in a non-graphic way, whether through dramatized storytelling, fictional scenarios, or brief personal accounts, may now qualify for full ad revenue. YouTube said the update reflects advertiser comfort with placing ads alongside such content when it avoids explicit or detailed depictions.
Response To Creator Feedback
The company said the decision followed feedback from creators who reported that their work was being demonetized despite careful handling of sensitive subjects. YouTube said it wants to ensure that creators producing dramatized narratives or topical discussions have a clearer path to earning ad revenue.
YouTube said it reviewed cases where uploads were restricted even though the content referenced controversial themes only in passing or within fictional contexts. The company said those restrictions did not always reflect advertiser expectations.
Limits That Remain In Place
YouTube said some categories will continue to face ad restrictions. Videos involving child abuse, including child sex trafficking, and eating disorders are excluded from the update. Content that includes descriptive or dramatized portrayals of those topics will remain ineligible for full monetization.
Broader Shifts In Content Moderation
The change comes as YouTube has adjusted how it enforces its platform rules more broadly. Last year, the company instructed moderators to keep certain videos online, even if they violated some policies, when the content was deemed 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.
That shift took place as several social media companies eased some forms of content moderation following President Donald Trump’s return to office. YouTube said the updated monetization rules are part of its effort to balance advertiser concerns with creator livelihoods.
Featured image credits: Flickr
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