By Catherine Geissler
YouTube seems to be forgetting its roots judging by their recent implementation of strict guidelines for monetization. Their broadly-stated list of actions and behavior deemed impermissible has polarized the community’s climate between the harassers and the creators.
Censorship of this nature threatens both prominent and upcoming YouTubers acquirement of revenue, by forcing creators to choose between unfiltered artistic expression, or censorship for their livelihood.
To put it lightly… people are pissed.
YouTube is running the risk of pushing their biggest breadwinners out of the website, and stunting the growth of smaller creators on the rise.
Phillip De Franco, of the Phillip De Franco show, has a YouTube following of over 4 million subscribers and he fears for the future of his show if these guidelines are kept in place.
“I don’t think I can call you beautiful bastards anymore because apparently that, and several other things I do are quote, “advertiser friendly.” said De Franco.
The reason YouTube provided for De Franco’s recent violation was that he used graphic content and excessive strong language.
“I’d heard murmurs, a few YouTubers talking about it, but we personally got hit with it yesterday,” said De Franco. “Yesterday’s video and many in the future will not be monetizable here on YouTube.”
However, for a YouTuber at De Franco’s caliber, he and others have the means to branch out and be supported by outside sponsors. If he so chooses to leave Youtube, this same luxury will not be extended to small YouTubers who rely on the website to make a living and are still trying to build a fan base provided by YouTube.
YouTuber and host of LovelyTi TV has a following of over 375,000 subscribers and her channel covers similar pop-culture commentary on controversial topics stemming from the urban community and celebrity news. She represents the smaller-yet-on-the-rise YouTuber who gravitated to the site because it allowed creators to be their authentic selves without fear of monetary retribution.
“I really had an emotional breakdown and had to gather my thoughts to decide if I want to continue YouTube,” said LovelyTi TV. “YouTube never has our back as content creators and we’re the people who make this website what it is.”
This begs the question, How can YouTube’s broad guidelines be narrowed so that small, as well as big YouTubers can continue creating and publishing on their website while keeping the trolls at bay?
