YouTube Community Guidelines

This is YouTube's policy overview page explaining how the platform governs what content is allowed, how creators can earn money, and how harmful content is removed. The most important thing for creators is that failing to follow YouTube's Advertiser-Friendly Content Guidelines can result in demonetization or removal from the YouTube Partner Program, directly cutting off revenue. If your video is removed or your YPP access is suspended, you have the right to appeal the decision through YouTube's appeals process.

This document is YouTube's platform policy overview page, published under YouTube's Terms of Service and Community Guidelines framework, governing content moderation, creator monetization eligibility, and advertiser-friendly content standards across the YouTube platform. The most significant obligations it creates are for content creators participating in the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), who must comply with both Community Guidelines and Advertiser-Friendly Content Guidelines to earn revenue share, and face demonetization or YPP suspension for violations. A notable provision is the dual-layer enforcement system combining automated detection and human reporting for content removal, with an appeals mechanism available to creators — however, the document does not specify binding timelines for appeals resolution, creating potential due process ambiguity. The document engages regulatory frameworks relevant to COPPA (given YouTube's reach to minors), the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) regarding content moderation transparency obligations, and FTC guidelines on endorsements and advertising disclosures. Material compliance considerations include YouTube's membership in GIFCT for terrorist content removal, which implicates counter-terrorism cooperation obligations, and the Advertiser-Friendly Content Guidelines which effectively create a private content governance regime that can suppress monetization without independent regulatory oversight.