In a move that’s sure to please creators who aren’t afraid to drop the occasional F-bomb, YouTube has officially updated its monetization policy: videos that include strong profanity in the first seven seconds are now eligible for full ad revenue.
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The update was confirmed by Conor Kavanagh, YouTube’s Head of Monetization Policy Experience, who explained the shift in a recent policy video. Previously, such language could trigger limited monetization, frustrating creators who felt the rules were out of touch.
YouTube originally introduced stricter language restrictions in 2022, aligning with “broadcast standards” that advertisers were said to expect. But creators pushed back – hard. One viral response came from YouTuber ProZD (aka SungWon Cho), who waited 15 seconds before declaring the policy “the dumbest fucking shit I’ve ever heard.” Ironically, the video was later demonetized. His reaction to this week’s change? “It’s about fucking time.”
Kavanagh notes that advertiser expectations have evolved, and brands can now target content by profanity tolerance levels, making blanket restrictions less necessary. Still, not everything’s fair game: profanity in titles or thumbnails will still limit monetization, and a “high frequency” of strong language throughout a video can still violate YouTube’s advertiser-friendly guidelines.
In Kavanagh’s words: “You have to pick and choose your fucks carefully.”
It’s a notable step in YouTube’s ongoing effort to balance brand safety with creator freedom, especially in a digital landscape where authenticity and unfiltered expression often win out.