Social media bans its users all the time. Just ask Milo Yiannopoulos, who is a gay conservative permanently banned from Twitter back in July for comments he made towards Leslie Jones who was receiving racially charged tweets.
His suspension came on the heels of accusations that Facebook curators were suppressing stories of conservative interest from their platform’s influential “Trending” tab, where millions of Americans receive their news daily.
This is nothing new. There is always an agenda.
And now YouTube is following a similar path by taking money directly out of their video creators who voice any opinion they deem offensive.
Recently, popular YouTube creator Philip DeFranco explained that one of his most recent videos – about a person screaming at a Lyft driver – was demonetized because of “excessively strong language.”
While he says he understands YouTube’s right to do this, it’s also
“incredibly f–king concerning. A form of censorship.”
When reached for clarification as to why they initiated this new policy, a YouTube spokesperson said:
“While our policy of demonetizing videos due to advertiser-friendly concerns hasn’t changed, we’ve recently improved the notification and appeal process to ensure better communication.”
On YouTube’s website:
Content that is considered inappropriate for advertising.
- Content that is considered “not advertiser-friendly” includes, but is not limited to:
- Sexually suggestive content, including partial nudity and sexual humor
- Violence, including display of serious injury and events related to violent extremism
- Inappropriate language, including harassment, profanity and vulgar language
- Promotion of drugs and regulated substances, including selling, use and abuse of such items
- Controversial or sensitive subjects and events, including subjects related to war, political conflicts, natural disasters and tragedies, even if graphic imagery is not shown
Added to the five detailed points that cover a broad range of content, they also preface the points with “but is not limited to” – which implies that if YouTube doesn’t like it, they don’t have to pay.
Some of the other YouTube creators were quick to make fun of YouTube’s new rules.
Chris Ray Gun posted a video parodying the new guidelines by breaking every one of them. You can catch that video under the title “Welcome to WholesomeTube!”
The tech and culture channel, ETC Show, pointed out the hypocrisy when North Korean video bloggers were allowed to be monetized when one of their videos was about the United States declaring war on North Korea and another was entitled “Taylor Swift is a F—KING LIAR!!”
Many critics defended YouTube saying that it was just a way for YouTube to enforce rules on those who make money off of harassing other creators.
YouTube is officially monopolizing the industry and forcing their dictatorship upon them.
Matt Drudge pointed out:
“I don’t know why they’ve been successful in pushing everybody into these little ghettos, these Facebooks, these Tweets, these Instagrams. This is ghetto, this is corporate; they’re taking your energy and you’re getting nothing in return.”
What do you think of YouTube’s new “Advertising Friendly” policy? Tell us in the comments below.