YouTube Guidelines and Content Moderation Issues

Introduction

• Video is unscripted and more informal.
• Discussing a recent community guidelines strike on the creator's channel.

Incident Overview

• Creator received a strike for a commentary video on a YouTube video about a man drinking his wife’s breast milk.
• The content is widely available on YouTube, even with similar reaction videos.
• Creator’s video received no ads, then was age-restricted, and finally removed for community guidelines violation.
• Many similar videos are still up on YouTube without strikes.

Addressing the Larger Issue

• The problem of inconsistent enforcement of YouTube's community guidelines.
• Content creators are heavily impacted by the lack of clear communication and recourse on the platform.
• Strike system is overly punitive; three strikes lead to channel termination with no apparent recovery method.

Appeals Process Issues

• Appeals are mostly automated and often result in quick, impersonal rejections.
• Limited options for content creators to rectify wrongful strikes.
• Best recourse is often seeking help on Twitter by tagging @TeamYouTube.
• Lack of direct customer support or human intervention in the review process.

Financial and Operational Concerns

• YouTube benefits financially from its content creators, making the lack of support more egregious.
• Channel termination risk is particularly concerning for those relying on YouTube for income.
• The appeal system fails to provide legitimate reviews or rectifications.

Inconsistency in Content Moderation

• Videos with similar or even more controversial content often remain on the platform without restrictions.
• Examples include transparent clothing try-on hauls being available while benign videos get struck down.

Needed Changes

• Revisiting the three-strike policy to ensure fair treatment of content creators.
• Improvement of the appeal system to ensure human review and consideration.
• Greater transparency and support from YouTube towards its content creators.

Conclusion

• Current situation portrays YouTube's failings in fair enforcement and creator support.
• The need for systemic changes in policy and support mechanisms.
• Personal impact on the creator’s channel and future concerns.