YouTube is updating its Community Guidelines to make the strike system for channels clearer and more consistent. This should help YouTubers know what to expect when they breach YouTube's rules, and help more creators stay on the right side of the line.
YouTube has taken a lot of grief of late. Creators have become increasingly annoyed at the way YouTube works, with frustrations boiling over with YouTube Rewind 2019. However, YouTube appears to be listening, and taking steps to get YouTubers back on side.
YouTube Simplifies Strike System
On the YouTube Creator Blog, YouTube details the latest changes to its Community Guidelines. These changes are designed to simplify the strike system, making it easier to understand and more consistent across the board. Or at least that's the plan.
Until now, YouTube has employed a three-strikes-and-you're-out policy. However, different strikes would result in different penalties. Which was confusing for YouTubers. From February 25, 2019, YouTube is instituting a new strike system for channels.
From now, the first strike will land you a one-week ban on uploading new content. The second strike will land you a two-week ban. And the third strike will result in termination. Strikes expire after 90 days. This is regardless of what guideline has been broken.
However, YouTube is offering everyone the chance to learn from their first mistake. So even before the first strike kicks in, channels will receive a one-time warning which results in no penalties other than the offending content being removed.
Most YouTubers Behave Themselves
YouTube is keen to point out that the majority of channels never break its Community Guidelines, with 98 percent keeping their nose clean. And of those who do receive a first strike, 94 percent never receive a second one. Suggesting the system works well.
Still, nothing is perfect, so kudos to YouTube for trying to improve the strike system for channels. These changes follow on from YouTube introducing new ways for YouTubers to make money, so regardless of their shortcomings, the people in charge are listening.