Youtube, Ads, and Censorship
If you're someone who's always on Youtube as I am, then you've most likely seen some people talk about Youtube's new guidelines and restrictions when it comes to content creators and they're ability to monetize their videos. Something that enables them to make money on Youtube.
For most of your favorite youtubers, Youtube is their primary source of income. It's how they pay their bills and feed themselves and their families while at the same time doing something they're passionate about, so these new guidelines may very well throw a wrench in that and cause them to seek fulfillment elsewhere.
According to these new guidelines, things such as: Profanity, Controversial topics, and Sensitive language will not approved for monetization, because according to them it's not "Advertiser friendly". Now, for some this may seem like a simple thing. Clean up your content and adopt a more family friendly style. Okay, a lot of youtubers do have family friendly content available and they do rather well for themselves. But not everyone is looking to entertain children. A lot of people make their bread and butter by talking about the news and giving their opinion on things happening in the world. You know, "controversial topics". So if they can't talk about those things then what are they supposed to talk about? How are they supposed to keep their dedicated subscribers informed like they usually do? By talking around the topic? You mean how the news does?
In this day and age people aren't getting their daily news from typical media anymore. They want to hear a non-sugar coated account of what's going on and from typical news outlets you're not going to get that. Because they have higher ups that they have to listen to. Youtubers usually don't have that. They can say things the way they see fit and without filter. Except now they do have someone to answer to. Think about people like Youtube favorite The Young Turks. They very much have no filter, a straight and to the point way of addressing topics in the world. What will they do now that they have to watch what they say lest they lose their monetization privileges?
What about comedy channels? People who use satire to make a point about their opinions and the way they see the world? Being able to make money off of content that they write, direct, and edit themselves. Now they have to walk on eggshells so they can continue making money off of their own ideas. Youtubers like Dan Howell who offers anecdotes about his own life to teach people valuable lessons based off of his own experiences and accompanies these stories with rather colorful language to accentuate both the comedy and the emotions behind it.
For those of us who remember Youtube when it first came out the tagline for the site was "Broadcast Yourself". A sentiment we thought would carry on through the lifespan of the site. But now it's more about pleasing sponsors and maintaining a clean cute corporate image. I understand people want to make money, I'm not faulting that. But I am faulting trying to put a muzzle on people just to hold onto some advertisers. That was the appeal of Youtube to begin with. Doing it yourself, on your own terms and not having to answer to anybody else about your content and ideas. But I guess those days are coming to an end.
If content creators have to move to another platform to find fulfillment than I don't doubt that the subscribers will move along too. Remember Youtube, without users all the advertisers in the world don't matter. Think on it and reconsider this ridiculous new direction.
For most of your favorite youtubers, Youtube is their primary source of income. It's how they pay their bills and feed themselves and their families while at the same time doing something they're passionate about, so these new guidelines may very well throw a wrench in that and cause them to seek fulfillment elsewhere.
According to these new guidelines, things such as: Profanity, Controversial topics, and Sensitive language will not approved for monetization, because according to them it's not "Advertiser friendly". Now, for some this may seem like a simple thing. Clean up your content and adopt a more family friendly style. Okay, a lot of youtubers do have family friendly content available and they do rather well for themselves. But not everyone is looking to entertain children. A lot of people make their bread and butter by talking about the news and giving their opinion on things happening in the world. You know, "controversial topics". So if they can't talk about those things then what are they supposed to talk about? How are they supposed to keep their dedicated subscribers informed like they usually do? By talking around the topic? You mean how the news does?
In this day and age people aren't getting their daily news from typical media anymore. They want to hear a non-sugar coated account of what's going on and from typical news outlets you're not going to get that. Because they have higher ups that they have to listen to. Youtubers usually don't have that. They can say things the way they see fit and without filter. Except now they do have someone to answer to. Think about people like Youtube favorite The Young Turks. They very much have no filter, a straight and to the point way of addressing topics in the world. What will they do now that they have to watch what they say lest they lose their monetization privileges?
What about comedy channels? People who use satire to make a point about their opinions and the way they see the world? Being able to make money off of content that they write, direct, and edit themselves. Now they have to walk on eggshells so they can continue making money off of their own ideas. Youtubers like Dan Howell who offers anecdotes about his own life to teach people valuable lessons based off of his own experiences and accompanies these stories with rather colorful language to accentuate both the comedy and the emotions behind it.
For those of us who remember Youtube when it first came out the tagline for the site was "Broadcast Yourself". A sentiment we thought would carry on through the lifespan of the site. But now it's more about pleasing sponsors and maintaining a clean cute corporate image. I understand people want to make money, I'm not faulting that. But I am faulting trying to put a muzzle on people just to hold onto some advertisers. That was the appeal of Youtube to begin with. Doing it yourself, on your own terms and not having to answer to anybody else about your content and ideas. But I guess those days are coming to an end.
If content creators have to move to another platform to find fulfillment than I don't doubt that the subscribers will move along too. Remember Youtube, without users all the advertisers in the world don't matter. Think on it and reconsider this ridiculous new direction.
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