Apparently YouTube is about to become more tolerant of videos with cursing e bad language. The platform, after an update launched in November sparked negative reactions from several creators, today announced that it will review its policies on content and demonetization of content. These are the same policies that, precisely with the November update, had become more severe. Maybe even too much. These stipulated that monetized videos, which contained profanity in the first 15 seconds, were demonetized. Creators could also be punished if the rest of the video featured excessive profanity.
In a video uploaded to the Creator Insider channel, the company says it reviewed data on how the new rules were enforced and found they “led to a tougher approach than expected.”
YouTube: What will happen to videos monetized with profanity now?
The new rules they won’t completely reverse the “punishments” for foul-mouthed creators, but they will definitely be more tolerant. First of all, the 15-second rule will lapse. However “profanity too strong” within the first 7 seconds will not be tolerated. The company also claims that “Video content that uses profanity, moderate or strong, will not be demonetized after the first seven secondsunless the terms in question are used repeatedly throughout the majority of the video.”
As you have surely guessed, the announced rules are decidedly vague, starting from the generic “profanity too strong”, which does not specify what exactly is meant by “too strong”. However, this highlights another step forward of the platform, which will therefore have a scale of profanity, and will not treat all curses in the same way. The November update treated all profanity equally, not taking into account their specific weight.
Finally, there are some other clarifications to make: the new rules will not be valid in case of songs and insults. If loud curses appear in the first 7 seconds of a piece of music (or its official video), it will not be demonetized. Insults to subjects and users, on the other hand, will not be tolerated.
YouTube claims that these changes will enter into force by 10 March. By this date previously demonetized videos will also be reviewed following the November update.