Exploring the potential benefits and drawbacks of YouTube’s updated monetization guidelines

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YouTube recently updated its monetization guidelines for content creators on the platform. The changes are aimed at improving the quality of videos while ensuring that they are appropriate for advertisers. However, the updates have sparked a debate among YouTubers about the potential benefits and drawbacks.

Benefits:

1. Advertiser-friendly content: The updated guidelines require creators to produce high-quality content that is appropriate for advertisers. This means that videos with inappropriate language, violence, or other controversial content will no longer be monetized. Advertisers will feel more confident about advertising on YouTube since they know their brand will be associated with appropriate content.

2. Higher revenue: According to YouTube, the changes will result in higher revenue for creators who meet the criteria. The company said that monetized channels with over 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past year earned an average of $7.60 per 1,000 views in January 2018. It is expected that the increasing quality of the content will attract more advertisers and lead to higher revenue for creators.

3. Better user experience: The changes will lead to a better user experience for audiences. With the new guidelines, low-quality and irrelevant videos will be filtered out, and users will be able to discover more meaningful and engaging content. The update will also encourage creators to produce more original and creative content.

Drawbacks:

1. Stricter guidelines: The updated guidelines are stricter, which may lead to more videos being demonetized. YouTubers feel that the criteria set by YouTube are difficult to achieve, especially for small creators who have just started their channels.

2. Reduced freedom of expression: Critics argue that the updated guidelines could limit freedom of expression. They see the move as a way for YouTube to control what creators can and cannot say on the platform. This could discourage some creators from expressing their opinions or sharing controversial topics.

3. Impact on small creators: The updated guidelines could have a significant impact on small creators who are struggling to grow their channels. Small creators rely heavily on the monetization of their videos to sustain their channels, and the new criteria may lead to decreased revenue.

In conclusion, the updated guidelines have both potential benefits and drawbacks. The changes are aimed at improving the quality of content on the platform and ensuring that advertisers have a safe and appropriate environment to showcase their brands. However, the strict criteria may impact small creators and limit their freedom of expression. It will be interesting to see how these changes affect the YouTube community in the future.