Life on YouTube is getting harder for the content creators
YouTube has made it harder for those who were aspiring to be a part of its partner programme. Which means they raised the minimum requirements for the content creators and vloggers to be able to make some money out of their videos.
In the most basis terms, In order for YouTube to display ads on your videos and to pay you a part of the commission, you must own a 4000 hours of watch time on your channel. Not just 4000 hours of watch time from last 5 years, you must have generated it from the last 12 months.
The second requirement is that you must have a minimum of 1000 subscribers before applying to the partner programme. So those newbies, who might be really passionate about their creations have a little bit harder path confront of them. The smaller channels and those who made this hobby, have to wait more and pay some patience In order to realise their money making goals.
Many YouTubers reacted to this, stating that this is a set of unfair rules. They felt that YouTube is focusing their revenue only from the high profile YouTubers.
Quality of the content
It was the widespread concerns about the media giant's ability and efficiency in regulating the content being hosted in their system, caused YouTube to announce such new changes.
Several brands are removing their advertisements from YouTube due to the concern of their AD displaying near illegal, abusive, hate content. For example we saw Lidl and Mars leaving YouTube last year when they saw their ads are being displayed along predatory comments. We witnessed popular brands like Walmart and Pepsi leaving the platform because their concerns of hate speech.
Let’s talk about the most famous and highest followed YouTuber pewdiepie for another example. Last year he was caught speaking racist comments on a video he uploaded, and generated more than millions of views. Of course, this list won’t be complete without mentioning the sparking agent for this changes, Mr Logan Paul, who posted a video which mocks on suicide victim he found in Japan's Aokigahara Forest, also known as Suicide Forest of Japan.
The YouTube Creators
Most of these videos have a huge viewership. The most important fact about it, is that the majority of it are young audience. This situation made the critics to criticise and question what type of content is actually acceptable and what are the limits for it.
Let’s look at the case of the popular Paul brothers, Logan Paul and Jake Paul. YouTube have a specific algorithm which sweeps through their daily updated content. Now looking at the kind of content created and posted by the Paul brothers, their stuff works along with YouTube’s algorithm. So obviously Paul brothers and their channels will be promoted widely in the platform. They update their channel, regularly, their content is filled with jokes, pranks, memes. They showcase their life of adventures. They always want to create troubles with others, only to create more viewers for their videos.
Hence YouTube wanted these content to be on top of the list. Because content like the ones created by popular YouTubers like Paul brothers generate a huge audience and longer interaction from the part of audience on the platform. The Paul brothers where evidently part of the YouTube rewind, an annually released YouTuber stars music video. That means such content creators receive huge support from the platform itself.
What Defines an Appropriate Content?
YouTube was criticised as a kind of Matryoshka Doll of blogging nightmares, by Vanity Fair. They said YouTubers content will worsen in time until there is nothing left but the worst of humanity. Accordingly we can see The Verge claiming that the contemporary videos posted on YouTube would “never pass muster at a traditional outlet".
Now looking a my perspective, present day content, like the ones created by Pewdiepie and Paul brothers are so similar to the old time TV show called Jackass. Jackass was broadcasted in MTV from 2000 to 2002. They broadcasted content with adventures, and featured horrible things such as inserting a toy car in to one cast member's anus, snorting wasabi, and tattooing someone sitting inside a running off road vehicle.
Jackass was later removed from MTV to become a new movie franchise. Their movies where allowed more worse stunts and acts which where outrageous. They only had an age restriction of 18 in UK.
For the content creators of Jackass, their doubt on the boundaries of their content and it’s suitability was answered by putting a basic age restriction on it. And obviously they moved to become a film franchise due to the protest from the advertisers.
Everything is Money
According to YouTube, theynsaid they will discuss these concerns with their top content creators . Especially on their ideas and plans for the future content. But we know that YouTube is never same as a broadcaster. They want these content to be distributed on their platform with a lesser regulation.
Let’s see what the CEO of YouTube, Mr Susan Wojcicki said in their blog on this subject of latest regulations. They said it was the advertisers and loss of revenue which forced them to bring these changes. So obviously we can understand that YouTube kept the concerns of their sources of revenue before the quality of the content and used it as medium of measure and for content acceptability.
But these advertisers are offered a choice of removing their advertisements from videos on topics they felt as the ones which won’t go along with their brand and products. For example the videos on the subjects like LGBTQ community or videos talking about the mental health of individuals. Hence in basic terms it means that sometimes a lot of videos can be demonitised. So the creators won’t revive a penny for their content.
What to look for in the Future
It is a naked truth that YouTube exists because of the revenue generated from the advertisers. So it is necessary for YouTube to consider the advertisers concern before they address anything else. But looking at the present situation we saw that these reactions coming from the brands and advertisers are being considered as the medium of regulations. And nowadays when the content creators are looking for the definition of appropriate content, it is actually the advertisers who have the final decision taking capability.
Hence even if we, the audience wants to watch some LGBTQ videos or discussions about sexual or mental health, the truth is that these advertisers may not wanted to be in association with these content.
So let’s expect that YouTube at some point of time in the future might consider the feelings of their audience. Whatever the tactics and strategies working in background of these platforms , in the end it is always the viewers who are the boss.
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