YouTube has introduced new guidelines around profanity in videos. (Image: Reuters)
YouTube is relaxing profanity guidelines for creators, limiting the use of swear words, but the policy after a 15-second intro remains unclear.
In response to complaints from content creators, YouTube has introduced a new set of guidelines to facilitate the use of profanity in videos. Previously, creators who used excessive foul language in the first 15-20 seconds of their videos or throughout the entire runtime of the video content could limit or disable their monetization ability altogether.
Also, there were no clear rules about how much swearing was allowed. The new guidelines, which will go into effect in the future, were revealed in a “Profanity Update” video on the Creator Insider channel, but reaction has been mixed from the creator community, citing clarity on restrictions pending and old rules.
According to the guidelines in the Creator Insider video, using the f-word in the first seven seconds of a video or for most of it may result in limited ad revenue for creators. However, if creators limit their use of fewer swear words, they’re more likely to fully monetize their videos.
After the introduction of 15 seconds, the new language policy on YouTube is still unclear. Foul language is allowed in music, backing tracks, and video intros that are intended to be sold. Older content can also be examined and any changes communicated to the creators.
According to The Verge, YouTube revised its ad-friendly content policy late last year. The new rules specified that videos containing swearing in the first 15 seconds could be “demonetized,” which would imply that no ads would be shown on these videos, significantly limiting the authors’ ability to make money.
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