If you’re just now trying to make bread on YouTube, it could be a wrap
YouTube is a great way to gain exposure, especially if you’re part of a younger generation and would like to build a following.
For many years, YouTube influencers did just that, following the footsteps of famous (and controversial) OGs like PewDiePie who displayed anti-semitism by posting a video with picture that said, “Death to all Jews,” costing him his Youtube Red show that, according to TNW, cut him off from “$15m in 2016 alone” of advertising opportunities. At the time, PewDiePie claimed “it was just a joke.” Yeah, hilarious.
And it doesn’t stop with PewDiePie. Fellow YouTube fuckboy Logan Paul is still facing backlash and controversy over his video of a dead body in Japan. Paul also lost his YT Red show, but shortly thereafter, YouTube announced their new monetization rules; and the community isn’t happy about it.
If a channel does not have more than 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time in a 12-month period, they do not qualify for monetization, while previously, all that was needed was 10,000 views.
From beauty YouTuber Glam&Gore:
Everyone: Please do something about the favoritism towards your biggest creators like Logan Paul
YouTube: Ok fine we’ll cancel his show …………. also now all creators under 1,000 subs don’t qualify for monetization or custom thumbnails HAVE A NICE DAY 👋
— Mykie (@GlamandGore) January 17, 2018
Had my @YouTube channel for about 6 years now, always active & not broken any rules. wake up to find that I'm now not eligible for the partner program for no reason. #YouTubePartnerProgram
— Delval (@theonlydelval) January 17, 2018
someone at #youtube last night…. #Demonetisation pic.twitter.com/0fOn6IeVwC
— Kenetor The Gundam Guy (@Kenetor) January 17, 2018
Actual footage of Youtube trying to defuse the Logan Paul situation by altering the #YouTubePartnerProgram pic.twitter.com/vXw2mj8hIq
— ΛПΛƧƬΛƧYΛ (@YeenQween) January 17, 2018
Had my @YouTube channel for about 6 years now, always active & not broken any rules. wake up to find that I'm now not eligible for the partner program for no reason. #YouTubePartnerProgram
— Delval (@theonlydelval) January 17, 2018
At least the community is standing by one another.
https://twitter.com/DesireeUribe_/status/953703038841057280
https://twitter.com/TrevorDmusic/status/953704078898548736
The most ironic part of it all is that YouTube, along with Twitter and Facebook, says they are working on “taking down terror-related content.”
Taken from TNW, YouTuber Anurag Shanker shares their thought on the policy and how harmful it is for new YouTubers.
“Previously, it was possible to earn at least enough to cover the cost of your own DIY video projects over time. The gap between YouTube’s earlier requirements and the new ones is massive. Garnering 4,000 hours of watch time is a whole different ball game than trying to build an audience organically without specializing in video production and publishing. For myself and my colleagues, that means shelving some upcoming projects, because we’ll now need to find other ways to fund them.”
Like many people, I grew up on YouTube and I love the platform. It’s very sad to see a community that was once filled with positivity and light become toxic. YouTube is right to try and wipe its platform of derogatory content, but they may be making the situation worse.
Is this the beginning of the end? Or will YouTube catch their mistakes and set things right?