YouTube has made a change to its Partner Program, which allows uploaders to monetize their videos. From now on there is the requirement of 1,000 subscribers and visitors must have watched at least 4,000 hours in the past twelve months.
The video platform says these new terms are based on thorough analysis and discussions with uploaders. YouTube believes these rules will help it separate the wheat from the chaff and identify creators who are making a positive contribution. According to YouTube, it is now also easier to help them generate more income.
The new rules apply immediately to new YouTube channels and from February 20 they will also take effect for existing channels. The platform offers existing channels a transition period of thirty days. From that date, channels with less than 1,000 subscribers and less than 4,000 hours of video watched will no longer be able to monetize. If they still exceed these limits, YouTube will evaluate the channels. New channels have to register and if they reach the limit values, there will also be an evaluation.
According to YouTube, these changes affect a significant number of channels, but the platform states that 99 percent of channels made less than $100 in the past year. For 90 percent, that was less than $2.50 a month. Channels that no longer meet the new requirements will still be paid what they are still entitled to under the old rules.
In April last year, YouTube also tightened the conditions for the Partner Program. At that time, the requirement was made that monetization of videos was only possible for channels with more than ten thousand views. This condition has now been exchanged for the new Partner Program changes. Before this tightening of 10,000 views, there was no limit on YouTube and new users could directly display ads with their videos.
With the new rule, YouTube wants to prevent abuse, for example in the form of users who re-upload videos from other channels themselves and try to earn money with it.