Google updated their guidelines for monetizing channels on YouTube. In a recent blog post that was published on January 16th, 2018, the company revealed that effective immediately the new rules for getting monetized on YouTube have changed somewhat drastically.
The post doesn’t waste a lot of time skirting around the issue, where Neal Mohan, the chief product officer and Robert Kyncl, the chief business officer, state…
“Starting today we’re changing the eligibility requirement for monetization to 4,000 hours of watchtime within the past 12 months and 1,000 subscribers. We’ve arrived at these new thresholds after thorough analysis and conversations with creators like you. They will allow us to significantly improve our ability to identify creators who contribute positively to the community and help drive more ad revenue to them (and away from bad actors). These higher standards will also help us prevent potentially inappropriate videos from monetizing which can hurt revenue for everyone.”
Starting February 20th, 2018 the measure will be implemented to retroactively affect existing YouTube channels. So if you’re a lower tier channel with only 900 or so subscribers but maybe your videos garner thousands of views even if they aren’t very long, you won’t be able to receive any monetary proceeds from your efforts or your content. However, there will be a 30 day grace period for you to pump up your subscription numbers to 1,000, or boost up your watch hours to 4,000. If you fail at both endeavors within the 30 day grace period, you lose monetization privileges.
According to the post, majority of the channels being affected weren’t making much money, where Mohan and Kyncl write…
“Though these changes will affect a significant number of channels, 99% of those affected were making less than $100 per year in the last year, with 90% earning less than $2.50 in the last month.”
They don’t give actual percentages on how many channels are literally being affected by this change. 99% of a variable distinguished only as “significant number” isn’t very clear, and many YouTubers aren’t very fond of this either.
A hashtag began trending about the issue called #YouTubePartnerProgram. Surprisingly, both Conservatives and Liberals voiced concerns and consternation at the new policy change.
@YouTube I’m heartbroken. I’ve had my channel since 2007 and it’s been monetised for just over two years. I’ve never broken any rules but now I lose everything because you’ve moved the goalposts? Why do this to loyal smaller creators? #YouTubePartnerProgram
— 🌸Lyca🌸 (@Lyca29) January 17, 2018
Honestly at this point we should just let @YouTube die and burn to the fucking ground, it’s disgusting how they’re treating any small YouTubers for the actions of one of their biggest stars, honestly fuck you @YouTube #YouTubePartnerProgram
— 🏳️🌈MissDevilofBad🏳️🌈 (@MissDevilofBad) January 17, 2018
Not everyone was on board with flaming YouTube for the decisions. Some more established content creators fired back, calling the outrage over the changes “embarrassing”.
Couldn’t get my opinions on the #YouTubePartnerProgram down to less than 5 minutes so I’m going to dedicate a standalone video to it tomorrow. What I will say now is that the fear-mongering going on in this community is embarrassing.
— Thomas “TomSka” Ridgewell (@thetomska) January 17, 2018
Some people, like Conservative pundit Mark Dice blamed popular content creator, Logan Paul, for the new monetization restrictions.
So…one of YouTube’s biggest stars (Logan Paul) breaks the rules, and thousands of channels just starting out are getting punished? Great business model, YouTube. YouTube has gone Hollywood and turned their backs on those who made YouTube great. #YouTubePartnerProgram
— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) January 17, 2018
Others, like long-time YouTuber ReviewTechUSA shot down criticisms that the changes came amid Logan Paul’s comedy video that partially featured a suicide victim’s dead body hanging from a tree in a Japanese forest.
HE…DIDN’T…MONETIZE…THE…VIDEO!!!! THERE NEW RULES HAVE FUCK ALL TO DO WITH #LOGANPAUL. JESUS CHRIST EVERYONE IS A VICTIM… #YouTubePartnerProgram https://t.co/7tEw0cNCyD
— Richard Masucci (@THEREALRTU) January 17, 2018
Some smaller YouTubers are already gaming the system, using the comment section on the YouTube blog post to start a new Sub4Sub movement, where smaller content creators sub to each other to gain above 1,000 subscribers to prevent their channels from being demonetized.
Despite many people saying that this is the end of YouTube, until viewership completely ceases the platform will continue to chug along.
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