YouTube takes tougher stance on hateful, inappropriate content

YouTube has introduced new guidelines to take a tougher stance on hateful, demeaning and inappropriate comment.

In a post on the YouTube Creator Blog, the company said it has broadened its ad-friendly guidelines around three additional types of content, after engaging with creators and advertisers.

The video site is cracking down on: hateful content that promotes discrimination, disparages or humiliates an individual or group of people; inappropriate use of family entertainment characters engaging in violent, sexual, vile, or otherwise inappropriate behaviour; and gratuitously incendiary, demeaning or inflammatory content.

“While it remains the case that videos that comply with our terms of service and community guidelines can remain on the platform, our advertiser-friendly content guidelines focus on what is specifically eligible for advertising,” said Ariel Bardin, VP, product management, YouTube.

“In March we provided an update to changes we’re making to address advertiser concerns around where their advertisements are placed. Since then, we’ve held thousands of productive conversations with advertisers, and implemented additional controls to restore advertiser confidence.

“As a result, many advertisers have resumed their media campaigns on YouTube, leading creator revenue to return to a better and more stable state. We know that revenue fluctuations have been unsettling and want to reassure you [YouTube creators] that we’re working closely with our advertising partners to make sure that YouTube continues to be a great place for creators to earn money.”

In April Google’s parent company, Alphabet, reported large growth in both revenues and profits, driven by gains in its core advertising business. The results showed little signs of impact from YouTube’s ad controversy from earlier this year, which saw some advertisers pull budget away from the site after it was revealed that, in some instances, they appeared alongside extreme or inappropriate content.