Swearing Moderately on YouTube Won't Demonetize You Anymore

If using profanity has stopped you from earning more money on YouTube, then worry no more! This YouTube update will benefit you.

From Pink Guy to iShowSpeed, YouTube has had fantastic creators with not-so-mannered mouths. And if you want to take that route as a creator yourself, you don’t need to worry about getting demonetized anymore!

Last November, YouTube introduced strict regulations around the usage of profanity in videos. With little distinction between "strong" and "moderate" cursing, the original policy would flag any video that contained foul language in the first 7 seconds as being unsuitable for advertising. Also, it appeared that the regulation was retroactive, as many creators complained that their older videos were no longer eligible for advertising.

The creator community wasn’t happy with this change and there was a lot of backlash. They didn't like how videos featuring any kind of profanity were automatically demonetized, and as a result, YouTube revised the rules.

At present, creators who use coarse language in the first 7 seconds of a video are still eligible for advertising, unless used throughout the entire video. According to this tweet from Creator Liaison, if the profanity is "moderate," the video won't be subject to any limits; nevertheless, if it contains strong language in the first few seconds, the video may only receive "limited advertisements."

And here's more info about the March 2023 update:

Image Credit: Google Support

What Are the Consequences of Using Profanity Then?

There is undoubtedly still some ambiguity about this. As profanity cannot be used in the "majority of the video," it's unclear what will happen if you swear more often. However, there are a few things we know for sure:

  • Not all kinds of profanity will be treated the same. Words like "f**k" are now classified as "stronger profanity," while "b***h," "d***ebag," "a**hole," and "s**t" are all considered "moderate" profanities.
  • Videos containing “moderate” profanity will be eligible for complete monetization. Those containing “stronger” profanity in the first 7 seconds will receive limited monetization.
  • You won't be demonetized for using profanity in background music, backing tracks, or intro or outro music.
  • Profanity in thumbnails or video titles will lead to demonetization.

The new rules are in effect as of right now. With this policy, YouTube wants to make it simpler for the majority of creators to continue monetizing their videos without having to make significant modifications, even though it doesn't fully address all of the issues creators had. It’s a step towards encouraging and inviting more creativity on the platform, and focusing less on the words we use.

Is video more your thing? Then watch Rob cover this topic with a healthy dose of quality memes!