New YouTube Freedom and Restriction | Wibest Broker
Video-sharing platform YouTube updated its policies regarding scripted violence for video games. Meanwhile, CEO Susan Wojcicki confirmed they prevented Donald Trump from running 300 ads.
Gaming videos are more likely to get approved for publishing with the company’s new policy update. The company says they plan to treat these videos as they would with other possibly violent, scripted content.
Before the site’s announcement on December 2, these videos had their age-restriction gates, which made them harder to watch. This goes with demonetization complaints against the platform, claiming that these violent videos are less likely to gain advertisers.
Wojcicki participated in a gaming summit with YouTube creator Mathew Patrick, known as MatPat on Game Theorists last month. In the summit, MatPat asked the CEO of demonetization and where gamers stand in its ecosystem.
To answer his question about how gamers can show content that isn’t family-friendly, she admitted the platform’s dependence on advertisers. She said, based on her research, that advertisers prefer to opt-out of sensitive subjects, much like most violent content.
Nevertheless, Wojcicki promised YouTube creators that her team was working on identifying advertisers who seek “edgier” content. If found, her team can match them with marketers to promote more mature products and services.
The new policy took effect on December 2, which says there will be fewer restrictions on virtual violence. Meanwhile, the company will maintain its standard to “protect audiences from real-world violence.”
Some claim the policy barely made a dent towards advertisement, which was the complaints’ purpose in the first place. If advertisers consider their videos as too violent, it’s still prone to demonetization.
The silver lining between what’s safe and what’s not for YouTube gamers remains unclear. This uncertainty leads to burnout in the creative platform, especially high-profile creators who feel compelled to make unlimited videos.
Google vs. Political Ads and Audiences
YouTube parent company Google took down more than 300 campaign ads from President Donald Trump this year alone. Any ad blocked contains a message saying it violated Google’s advertising policies with a link to its regulation page.
Even when CEO Wojcicki said people could find more information on Google’s ad transparency website, audiences can’t view any video. This lack of clarity for the reasons why the company took it down makes it difficult to put any party to account.
Analysts argue that some political ads can give way to misinforming voters on key issues.
The company tightened its policies on political ads last month. Google will no longer allow political ads to target specific communities by ideological affiliation and information in public voter files.
Twitter also published a vague promise to ban political ads in its micro-blogging site.
Politicians, PACs, candidates, 501(c)(4) non-profit organizations and PACs will be banned from advertising on Twitter. Ads that encourage people to take a stand against global issues are allowed, but researchers have trouble deciphering actual differences.
Meanwhile, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg argued his company isn’t accountable for the effects of false political ads on its platform. The most famous social media site continues to face criticism for its fact-checking policies.
