New YouTube Policy Sparks Increased Demonetization of Gaming Content

January 16, 2023 update: YouTube has announced plans to revise its newly implemented policy after facing criticism from content creators. According to a statement from YouTube spokesperson Michael Aciman, the platform is working on making adjustments to address concerns raised by the community. Aciman stated, "We have received feedback from numerous creators regarding this update, which is valuable to us. We are in the process of making some adjustments to this policy to address their concerns. We will follow up with our creator community shortly with more information." Original story, January 3, 2023: A recent update to YouTube's moderation policies has led to an increase in demonetized gaming content on the platform. Several YouTubers, including Penquinz0, have reported an increase in demonetized videos following the policy update, which targets game violence. RTGame, another content creator, shared his experience on Twitter, revealing that the policy changes were applied retroactively, resulting in the demonetization of several of his videos. YouTube's Advertiser Friendly Guidelines were updated in November 2022, although the effective date was not specified at the time. It appears that the changes are now in effect, having started at the end of December. The revised rules specifically target violence, stating that content featuring dead bodies without context, game violence directed at real individuals, or acts intended to shock and disgust will not be eligible for ad revenue. The guidelines also state that "standard gameplay where gory injuries are present after the first 8 seconds, non-graphic tragedies and their aftermath, or police seizures as part of law enforcement can receive ad revenue." Additionally, YouTube has introduced stricter rules for "inappropriate language," with all forms of profanity being treated equally, regardless of severity. According to the new rules, "content where profanity is used after the first 8 seconds may receive ad revenue. However, if profanity is used within the first 8 seconds of the video, it will not be monetized." YouTube has provided specific guidelines for gaming-related channels regarding the new rules.