This page provides an overview of the upcoming and recent ad guideline updates for our advertiser-friendly content guidelines. Learn more about other updates to YouTube policies here.
Latest updates
Updates from the past three months
December 2024
Drug trafficking organisations (DTOs) and Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs) guidelines
- We have relocated existing language relating to drug trafficking organisations (DTOs) and Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs) guidelines. These guidelines have been moved from the 'Harmful acts and unreliable content' section of the advertiser-friendly content guidelines to the 'Recreational drugs and drug-related content' and 'Violence' policies, respectively. This relocation of language aims to help with policy comprehension. There is no change to the policy or how your videos are reviewed for advertiser friendliness.
Adult content
- We updated our ad-friendly guidelines for adult content to include a policy to restrict ad revenue on content promoting or providing instructions on how to create either synthetic sexually explicit content or imagery containing nudity.
April 2024
We are providing examples of extreme language and hateful language or slurs in the 'no ad revenue' section in the Advertiser-friendly content guidelines in order to make our existing policy clearer. There is no change to the policy, which words we consider 'extreme language' or how your videos are reviewed for advertiser-friendliness.
January 2024
We updated our guidelines on sensitive events, including language to clarify that content which profits from or exploits a sensitive event may not monetise. There are no policy changes, which means that there will be no difference in how your videos are checked for advertiser friendliness.
November 2023
We updated our guidelines specific to adult content in two areas:
- Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding content where a child is present, even with visible areola, can now earn ad revenue. Previously, such content was only monetisable if no areola was visible. Also, breastfeeding thumbnails with focus on breasts without visible areola can now earn ad revenue.
- Sensual dancing: Non-sexually graphic dancing involving rhythmic body movements, such as twerking or grinding, as well as dance featuring fleeting minimal clothing can now earn ad revenue. Previously, such content was not considered monetisable.
We're making this change to our adult content guidelines to allow creators to earn ad revenue from content that showcases non-sexually graphic dance, such as twerking, as well as content related to breastfeeding.
The gaming and monetisation article is also updated to reflect these policy updates.
Previous updates
Updates older than three months
2023
Updates to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines (October 2023)
We have updated the name of our 'Harmful or dangerous acts' policy to 'Harmful acts and unreliable content'. We have also added language to clarify that content which makes claims that are demonstrably false and could significantly undermine participation or trust in an electoral or democratic process does not earn ad revenue. For example, information about public voting procedures, political candidate eligibility based on age or birthplace, election results or census participation that contradicts official government records. Content that cites false claims in this area while making it clear that they are false, such as commentary, educational or documentary content, may earn ad revenue.
We haven't changed how we enforce this policy, which means that there will be no difference in how your videos are checked for advertiser friendliness.
Updates to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines (September 2023)
We have updated our guidelines about controversial issues.
- Allowing creators to earn more ad revenue on content discussing topics such as abortion and adult sexual abuse. This means that content that discusses these topics without going into graphic detail can fully monetise. We know that videos covering topics like these can be a helpful resource to users, so we want to ensure that, wherever possible, controversial issues discussed in a non-descriptive and non-graphic way aren't disincentivised through demonetisation. We're also keenly aware that some creator communities feel like they get more yellow icons because they're uploading content about topics that disproportionately impact them. We hope that these changes can give all creators more space to discuss these topics, with eligibility for ad revenue.
- Additionally, we're aligning our advertiser-friendly content guidelines on eating disorders with YouTube Community Guidelines. Content that focuses on eating disorders and shares triggers like guides around binging, hiding or hoarding food, or abusing laxatives will not receive ad revenue.
- This change will ensure that such content isn't incentivised with ads and that our monetisation guidelines and Community Guidelines continue to be in sync.
- Please note that educational or documentary content, and survivor content that references these aspects of having an eating disorder without promoting such activities won't be impacted by this change.
The gaming and monetisation article is also updated to reflect these policy updates.
For more info on this update, watch our Creator insider video.
Updates to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines (March 2023)
We've updated our guidelines regarding inappropriate language. Profanity (e.g. the f-word) used in the first seven seconds or majority of the video may earn limited ad revenue rather than no ad revenue, as previously announced below. Usage of words like 'bitch', 'wanker', 'dickhead' and 'shit' in the video content is eligible for green icons. Profanity used in the first 8–15 seconds may now earn ad revenue. We've also clarified our guidance on how profanity in music is treated; strong language used in background music, backing tracks, intro/outro music may earn ad revenue.
2022
Updates to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines (November 2022)
We've updated our guidelines to include both clearer language, specific guideline changes and changes to ad suitabilities. See below for impacted guidelines as well as non-exhaustive examples of what is changing:
- Adult content
- Thumbnails, titles and videos containing sexualised text (such as links, 18+), obscene language, images (such as real or animated minimally covered bottoms), audio (such as sharing sexual tips or working experiences) and gratifying acts (such as animal mating or implicit sexual acts) may not receive ad revenue.
- Policy enforcement around classical arts depicting sexual activities, sensual dancing and sexual education without intent to arouse audiences remains unchanged, and this content may receive ad revenue.
- Violence
- Non-graphic dead bodies presented without any context, game violence directed at a real named person or acts that are manufactured to create shocking experiences (such as brutal mass killing) and implied moment of death (such as bombing a building with people inside) may not receive ad revenue.
- Standard game play where gory injuries are present after the first eight seconds, non-graphic tragedies and their aftermath (such as footage of a flooded town), or police seizures as a part of law enforcement may receive ad revenue.
- Harmful or dangerous acts
- Dangerous acts where minors are participants or victims (such as minors participating in experiments or challenges involving stunts unsuitable for children) may not receive ad revenue.
- Sensitive events
- All topics related to drug trade organisations (DTO) and Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTO) will be located under Harmful or dangerous acts rather than Sensitive events.
- Language pertaining to sensitive events has been updated to ensure that it is clear and understandable, but policy enforcement is otherwise unchanged.
- Inappropriate language
- Our approach to profanity is changing. All varieties of profanity are now treated equally, meaning that they are not differentiated based on levels of severity (e.g. light, moderate, strong or extreme) and we are not treating 'hell' and 'damn' as a profanity any more. Therefore, profanity used in the title, thumbnails or in the video's first seven seconds, or used consistently throughout the video, may not receive ad revenue.
- Profanities used after the first eight seconds may receive ad revenue. Our position on not monetising content with profanity throughout or comprising the majority of the video is not changing.
- Recreational drugs and drug-related content
- Drug usage and consumption, like injections or joint smoking in gaming content, may not receive ad revenue.
- Drug dealings or mentions of drugs in gaming content may receive ad revenue.
We're also introducing new guidelines under the Enabling dishonest behaviour guideline. The following content will now be in scope of 'This content will earn no ad revenue':
- Pretending to be a retail shop employee without the property owner's permission or violating their code of conduct (such as staying after their opening hours).
- Using or encouraging the usage of hacking software in competitive e-sports.
The Gaming and monetisation article has also been updated in parallel to reflect these policy updates.
Updates to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines (October 2022)
The advertiser-friendly content guidelines page has been updated to make it clear to the creator community that today's video-level monetisation guidelines outlined apply to both VOD (long-form video) and Shorts formats. There are no policy changes, which means that you will not notice any difference in how your videos are checked for advertiser friendliness. We'll provide further updates when updates are made. You can learn more about when Shorts ad revenue sharing starts here.
Updates to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines (August 2022)
We've updated monetisation guidance around content that may be harmful or dangerous. Uploads showcasing vigilantism may not run ads.
The advertiser-friendly content guidelines page has been updated to reflect this. There are no policy changes, which means that you will not notice any difference in how your videos are checked for advertiser friendliness.
Updates to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines for inappropriate content for children and families (April 2022)
We have recently updated ad guidelines for Made for Kids content to help guide creators on what is suitable and not suitable for ads. We've created a new guideline called 'Inappropriate content for children and families' that has three categories: content that encourages negative behaviour, mature content aimed towards children and shocking content aimed towards children.
Updates relating to the Ukraine war (March 2022)
We've posted guidance on the Advertiser-friendly content guidelines page with respect to the ongoing war in Ukraine:
Due to the war in Ukraine, content that exploits, dismisses or condones the war is ineligible for monetisation until further notice. This update is meant to clarify, and in some cases expand, our guidance as it relates to this war.
2021
Updates to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines for adult content (December 2021)
We've updated monetisation guidance around content featuring gender identity devices. Uploads showcasing objects that resemble genitalia, like breasts or penises, without showing nudity and that assist creators as they explain their gender dysphoria journeys, may run ads.
Updates to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines for harmful or dangerous acts (October 2021)
We've updated our guidelines to include clearer examples in the following policy areas: adult content, violence, shocking content, hateful and derogatory content, sensitive events, firearms-related content and recreational drugs and drug-related content. We've also added a new definitions section to clarify key terms used throughout the guidelines.
In addition, we're introducing a new guideline: Enabling dishonest behaviour. This provides guidance around ad serving eligibility for content relating to trespassing, cheating or computer hacking that is personal or paid for.
We're also moving our guidance around monetisation of COVID-19-related content from a previously separate page directly into the advertiser-friendly content guidelines for ease of review. Visits to the former page will redirect to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines.
The gaming and monetisation article has also been updated in parallel to reflect these policy updates.
Updates to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines for harmful or dangerous acts (October 2021)
We're updating monetisation guidance around climate change misinformation in November, making it clearer that content promoting claims about climate change that run contrary to scientific consensus may not run ads. Educational, documentary or news content about this topic may continue to run ads.
Visit the Google Ads Help Centre here for more info on this update.
Updates to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines for firearms-related content (September 2021)
We're clarifying our existing monetisation guidelines around firearms-related content. Disassembly and reassembly of weapons for maintenance may run ads. We're also strengthening our guidelines for other types of firearm content.
The advertiser-friendly content guidelines page will be updated to reflect this in October, under firearms-related content.
Updates to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines for violence (July 2021)
We're updating monetisation guidance around violence, making it clearer that footage of animals in distress induced by human intervention may not run ads.
Updates for multiple policies in the advertiser-friendly content guidelines and gaming and monetisation articles (April 2021)
Based on creator and advertiser input, we've updated our guidelines to allow more content to become eligible for full monetisation (green icon) while continuing to maintain advertiser industry standards.
Firstly, we're expanding monetisation on educational, documentary or news content that may include violent interactions with law enforcement, recreational drugs and drug-related content, or sensitive events. We're also expanding monetisation for controversial issues where non-graphic, objective discussions of controversial issues are in the video.
Secondly, we're also expanding monetisation to allow for adult themes delivered through the context of humour (e.g. romance, dating jokes) and the usage of moderate profanity (e.g. shit and bitch) in the first 30 seconds.Additionally, we've included more examples in the following sections to clarify their guidance: the 'Adult content', 'Harmful or dangerous acts' and 'Firearms-related' sections in the advertiser-friendly content guidelines.
The 'Tips for monetising gaming videos' section of the Gaming and monetisation article has also been updated in parallel to reflect these policy updates.
Guidance additions for the 'Inappropriate language', 'Violence' and 'Recreational drugs and drug-related content' guidelines, as well as an update to our monetisation policy relating to COVID-19 (February 2021)
The Advertiser-friendly content guidelines article now includes additional examples within the 'You can turn on ads for this content' sections for the 'Inappropriate language', 'Violence' and 'Recreational drugs and drug-related content' guidelines.
Additionally, updates have been made to the Monetisation update on COVID-19 content article as well as the 'Harmful or dangerous acts' section of our advertiser-friendly content guidelines to provide more guidance around vaccination content.
Creation of a new page contextualising advertiser-friendly content guidelines for gaming content (January 2021)
To help YouTube creators of gaming content better understand the advertiser-friendly content guidelines, we've published a new page to help bring the topic of gaming and monetisation into context.
This new page was created with the intent to make our guidelines clearer when it comes to gaming content specifically, and to help improve self-certification understanding for YouTube creators of gaming content.
There are no policy changes, which means that you will not notice any difference in how your videos are checked for advertiser friendliness.
Updates to various sections of the advertiser-friendly content guidelines providing more information and examples, 'Rate your content with self-certification' article now deprecated (January 2021)
The Advertiser-friendly content guidelines article has now been updated with additional guidance and examples for self-certification. In line with this, the 'Rate your content with self-certification' article has now been deprecated.
New, comprehensive examples under 'You can turn on ads, but only brands that opt in will run ads' (limited ads) and 'You should turn off ads for this content' (no ads) for the 'Adult content' and 'Hateful and derogatory content' policies further clarify what content is in scope. We've also separated the 'Sensitive events' and 'Controversial issues' policies to ensure that we are providing granular and transparent policy guidance.
Minor additions to the 'Harmful or dangerous acts' policies have been made to demonstrate additional examples of content which could result in limited or no ads.
A new note has been added to the 'Incendiary and demeaning', 'Tobacco-related content' and 'Adult themes in family content' policies to inform readers that these are bundled under other policies in the self-certification questionnaire in YouTube Studio.
There are no policy changes, which means that you will not notice any difference in how your videos are checked for advertiser friendliness.
2020
Updates to various sections of rate your content with self-certification providing more information and examples (October 2020)
The Rate your content with self-certification article now includes more comprehensive examples under 'You can turn on ads for this content' for the 'Violence' and 'Adult content' policies to further clarify what content is in scope. We've also clarified the definition of 'sensitive events' and 'focus' in the 'Controversial issues and sensitive events' section.
Minor additions to the 'Harmful or dangerous acts' and 'Inappropriate language' sections have been made to demonstrate further examples of emotional distress pranks and to clarify that frequent usage of strong language could result in limited or no ads.
There are no policy changes, which means that you will not notice any difference in how your videos are checked for advertiser friendliness.
Addition of news-specific guidance to advertiser-friendly content guidelines (August 2020)
The Violence and Controversial issues and sensitive events guidelines will be clarified to include how our policies impact news reporting on current affairs.
This update will be made live in August.
Addition of shocking content to advertiser-friendly content guidelines (August 2020)
The shocking content guideline represents a clarification of existing policy and focuses on content that may upset, disgust or shock viewers. We are making this change to the resources to help enhance creator understanding of content that cannot run ads.
A new section will be added to the self-certification questionnaire. Updates will also be added to the advertiser-friendly content guidelines and to the Rate your content with self-certification article in August to give as much detail as possible to the creator community.
There are no policy changes, which means that you will not notice any difference in how your videos are checked for advertiser friendliness.
Updates to Inappropriate language (June 2020)
The wording in this section has been amended to clarify that misspelled profanity within a title or thumbnail intended to obscure inappropriate language results in limited or no ads. Creators can review the updated language here.
There are no policy changes, which means that you will not notice any difference in how your videos are checked for advertiser friendliness.
Updates to rate your content with self-certification (May 2020)
The article now includes examples of content types that fall into each of the options outlined in the questionnaire that can be found in your account. We've also included definitions of key concepts, such as nudity, that are referenced throughout the questionnaire.
There are no policy changes, which means that you will not notice any difference in how your videos are checked for advertiser friendliness.
Updates related to COVID-19 (April 2020)
Content that references and/or features COVID-19 and follows our advertiser-friendly and Community Guidelines may now be monetised (and will see the green icon). Find more detailed guidance on monetising COVID-19 content here.
Updates to controversial issues and sensitive events, and inappropriate language (February 2020)
The article now includes a more comprehensive list of issues considered controversial and an explanation of how we define sensitive events. We've also clarified our guidelines around inappropriate language.
There are no policy changes, which means that you shouldn't expect any difference in how your videos are checked for advertiser friendliness.