How will the new YouTube content policy/COPPA reg be handled?

sgbrown

Earning My Ears
Joined
Sep 18, 2019
As you know YouTube is instituting a policy of content authors being made to identify their vlogs as being "for kids" or "not for kids" and the FTC will be issuing fines of up to $40K for violation. Pete et al, I'd love to get your thoughts regarding this - will it adversely affect what you all do, and if so, will you be calling on viewers/subscribers to sign the change.org petition to have the matter clarified? Let me know if there's any other action I can take to be of assistance. Thanks and keep up the good work!
 
This is a mess right now because they were so vague regarding what constitutes kids content. Is a review of a character meal at Disney World kids content? Sort of even though the target audience is their parents. How about a ride through video of an attraction? Kids watch those, I'm sure. Hopefully YouTube will give better guidance on this going forward.
 
I am only peripherally aware of this - like I know it is some change coming and I know a lot of content providers are worried about it

Is there a reason the only options are "for kids" or "for adults"? Why can't they have a "for everyone" option?
 
Is there a reason the only options are "for kids" or "for adults"? Why can't they have a "for everyone" option?
The whole thing is stupid but the issue is that YouTube harvests data from the people watching their videos which is how they make their money. They got in trouble for collecting data from kids so this is the response. Going forward, they won't collect data from people watching kids videos so they want to identify which are kids videos. The stupidity is that kids watch all kinds of stuff, adults watch "kids" videos, kids watch on their parents' accounts, etc. And a lot of videos, like Disney content, aren't clearly for kids or adults.
 


The whole thing is stupid but the issue is that YouTube harvests data from the people watching their videos which is how they make their money. They got in trouble for collecting data from kids so this is the response. Going forward, they won't collect data from people watching kids videos so they want to identify which are kids videos. The stupidity is that kids watch all kinds of stuff, adults watch "kids" videos, kids watch on their parents' accounts, etc. And a lot of videos, like Disney content, aren't clearly for kids or adults.

so is the concern you mark your account as "for adults" but then they (YouTube) decide that your content is really aimed (at least partially) at kids (e.g., Disney) and you would then get the fines?

and I guess then the same issue would be there if you could mark as "at everyone" as still, if they felt your content was targeting kids, the data would still be harvested, and be back where they started

Ideally they would be able to tell that something like DISUnplugged is not targeting kids the same way "Ryan's Toys" is (or other shows clearly aimed exclusively at kids) but I guess they would just have algoritms and stuff to determine it not people with brains
 
so is the concern you mark your account as "for adults" but then they (YouTube) decide that your content is really aimed (at least partially) at kids (e.g., Disney) and you would then get the fines?
Yes. Creators are worried that their content will get flagged as being for kids which then affects how they are able to market their channel and videos and impacts their ability to monetize their product.
 
without much greater clarification as to what constitutes each of the categories, it strikes me that this could be a 1st amendment violation. watch the lawyers line up the first time the FTC issues a fine for this.
 


YouTube did post this:
  • You will be required to tell us if your content is made for kids. In addition, we'll use machine learning to help us identify videos that clearly target young audiences. At a high level, content that is made for kids has an emphasis on:
    • Children or children’s characters.
    • Popular children’s programming or animated characters.
    • Play-acting, or stories using children’s toys.
    • Child protagonists engaging in common natural play patterns such as play-acting and/or imaginative play.
    • Popular children’s songs, stories or poems.
However, that's not the definitive answer and even that is obviously vague when you're talking about stuff like Disney content. If I post a review of Chef Mickey's, there will be kids and popular animated characters in the video.
 
YouTube did post this:
  • You will be required to tell us if your content is made for kids. In addition, we'll use machine learning to help us identify videos that clearly target young audiences. At a high level, content that is made for kids has an emphasis on:
    • Children or children’s characters.
    • Popular children’s programming or animated characters.
    • Play-acting, or stories using children’s toys.
    • Child protagonists engaging in common natural play patterns such as play-acting and/or imaginative play.
    • Popular children’s songs, stories or poems.
However, that's not the definitive answer and even that is obviously vague when you're talking about stuff like Disney content. If I post a review of Chef Mickey's, there will be kids and popular animated characters in the video.
Yeah Disney is certainly a gray area for this. Just because Mickey an animated/"children's" character is in the video doesn't mean its a kids aimed video.
 
I watched a video resorttv1 put up that seemed to be a pretty good summary of it all for anyone interested.

I love watching all sorts of different things on YouTube aside from the obvious Disney channels that I watch and I think it’s done amazing things for my productivity (ironically), organization, cooking skills, finances, make up skills lol, it’s really endless. I’ll be really bummed if this makes a lot of the creators change what they do, and I think a lot of channels fall under the vague definition of for kids.
 
They didn’t need YouTube before and they won’t need it if it comes to this.

YouTube will never be a profitable way of life as in replacement of a job, supplement, but never replacement with all the changes and rules ect
 
YouTube will never be a profitable way of life as in replacement of a job
There are a ton of YouTubers who would disagree. Lots of people make pretty decent incomes with their channels. And even if they aren't making a ton of money from YouTube itself, their YouTube presence often drives customers to their other businesses. Pete has said many times that the number of people consuming the podcasts skyrocketed when they switched from audio-only to video. I'm sure that also equates to more business for the travel agency and more exposure for their advertisers.
 
Steve a lot of people have also come and gone on YouTube. I’m just saying it’s not a permanent revenue stream as it seems their algorithms and rules change consistently.
 
Steve a lot of people have also come and gone on YouTube. I’m just saying it’s not a permanent revenue stream as it seems their algorithms and rules change consistently.

If you really dig down into a lot of people’s sources of incomes nothing is truly guaranteed or permanent.

There are a lot of people who are currently making their entire living from YouTube, instagram, and the concept of being an influencer. Whether it’s sustainable or not is probably too off topic for this thread. They’re not just making money from ad revenue, sponsorships because of their audience reached play a big part and help even the smaller guys live off of it.

It’s a big deal for a lot of people. There is a ton of stuff that can fall into grey area and those fines are huge. Not to mention as a viewer I feel we really benefit from free access to really great stuff that creators are motivated and able to create because they can be compensated well for it.
 
They didn’t need YouTube before and they won’t need it if it comes to this.

YouTube will never be a profitable way of life as in replacement of a job, supplement, but never replacement with all the changes and rules ect
There are a ton of YouTubers who would disagree. Lots of people make pretty decent incomes with their channels. And even if they aren't making a ton of money from YouTube itself, their YouTube presence often drives customers to their other businesses. Pete has said many times that the number of people consuming the podcasts skyrocketed when they switched from audio-only to video. I'm sure that also equates to more business for the travel agency and more exposure for their advertisers.

yeah, I know some of the YouTube "stars" my kids watch are doing pretty darn goof for themselves

I think a better way of wording it would be that you should likely have a back-up plan if your main source of income is from YouTube, etc. as conditions can change very quickly
 
I think a better way of wording it would be that you should likely have a back-up plan if your main source of income is from YouTube, etc. as conditions can change very quickly
I agree with that. There was a short time years ago when I was a full time dealer on Ebay. I did pretty well but over the years, Ebay's policies have become more and more stacked against the sellers, fees have risen a lot, and postage costs have gone up as well. Doing what I did back then would not be nearly as practical or lucrative in today's world. Fortunately, I was just doing it to pay the bills while I was between "real" jobs but there were a lot of people for whom that was their real job. I'm sure there are still people who are full time dealers but it's way harder to make a living that way today.
 
I agree with that. There was a short time years ago when I was a full time dealer on Ebay. I did pretty well but over the years, Ebay's policies have become more and more stacked against the sellers, fees have risen a lot, and postage costs have gone up as well. Doing what I did back then would not be nearly as practical or lucrative in today's world. Fortunately, I was just doing it to pay the bills while I was between "real" jobs but there were a lot of people for whom that was their real job. I'm sure there are still people who are full time dealers but it's way harder to make a living that way today.
Traffic seems to have slowed dramatically since eBay had to institute sales tax collection a few months ago. I'm actually shutting down my eBay store (just selling what I have left, not buying more inventory) due to the lack of sales. Was a part time side gig though so no big deal.
 
Traffic seems to have slowed dramatically since eBay had to institute sales tax collection a few months ago.
Of course that really shouldn’t make a difference. I’ve collected sales tax on eBay for 20 years as legally required. Now eBay does it for me. But I still need to file my quarterly tax form which is a pain since I don’t sell anywhere else.
 

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