On December 10th YouTube might drop a new bomb on its creators – many have already published videos about that. But a month before a new adpocalypse could start, YouTube already implemented new rules that could cost content creators lots of money and their account.
YouTube has to implement new rules to protect children. From today on, you’ll have to label your own content correctly as “targeted to children” or not. And if you don’t label it correctly, a fine of thousands of dollars is possible.
What YouTube – once again – did: They took their responsibility and put it on the content creators. Just with copyright strikes, YouTube doesn’t help you at all, when facing legal issues. Instead, it uses an automated system that puts the burden of proof on the creator, when a strike hits their channel.
Many creators (like me) rather take a video down than go to a lawyer to protect their rights to use copyrighted material for commentary and education. YouTube made that possible with their lazy system. And the same system will make the new rules for child-protection a pain in the ass for everyone creating content.
My YouTube channel is very small. So I’m far from being a successful YouTuber. I don’t earn a single cent via adsense. My reaction to the new YouTube rules might have been different, if adsense paid for my rent. But looking at the outrage about YouTube’s new rules, I can’t take many of the content creators serious anymore.
Crying over new YouTube rules is ridiculous. At least for the last three years, YouTube has made it abundantly clear that they don’t want you or me as content creators on their platform; they only want us as passive content consumers. YouTube wants Will Smith and Katy Perry to put is to sleep with their mind-numbingly and painfully corporate content again.
You don’t like watching TV anymore, kids? Well, how about watching the same content TV offered on YouTube?
For the last years the platform has moved further in that direction with every new feature. And they will continue to do so in the future.
Five years from now, Will Smith will be the biggest YouTuber, while we only get recommended cat videos and honest Star Wars reviews from Kathleen Kennedy personally.
The average YouTuber should have already understood that by now.
There is nothing wrong with being on YouTube. I am still on there. But platforms like BitChute, DLive, and others should be part of your social media strategy as well.
You can use YouTube to upload your content quickly and link that channel to your BitChute account to start an auto-mirror feature. If you’re a streamer, DLive already produces bigger numbers for many people - especially if you create controversial content.
I am sorry for those who make their living on YouTube. But it is obvious that you won’t be able to do so anymore soon.
• Start a podcast
• Get your own website
• Branch out to other social media
• Find other streams of income
Three years ago, people should have understood it: Don’t rely on YouTube's ad revenue. Don't rely on YouTube at all.
YouTube is not your friend. YouTube is a business. And with enough help from an HR department, every business can be run into the ground quickly.
The new rules and guidelines are only more examples why this platform doesn’t want you to make a living with their adsense program. YouTube wants to be Netflix, it wants to be online TV, it wants Will Smith and Katy Perry. But it doesn’t want you or me. Accept it. Act accordingly.
