The video creator discusses how YouTube has changed over the years, becoming a "totalitarian garbage dump" due to its strict policies and rules. They explain that the platform's main audience used to be predominantly young adults (16-25 years old), but with the rise of "Let's Play" players and children's content, the audience shifted to a younger demographic. As a result, YouTube implemented stricter rules to protect children, which has led to a significant change in the type of content being created.
The creator argues that these policies have forced many creators to produce "toothless family-friendly content" in order to monetize their videos, making it difficult for new creators to produce edgy or humorous content. They also mention that many adult viewers have turned away from YouTube due to its new policies, opting for other platforms like TikTok or Instagram.
The creator concludes by stating that they have had to adapt to these changes in order to make a living on YouTube, producing more light-hearted and non-toxic content that complies with the platform's rules.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. The YouTube era of humorous programs and reviews of viral videos began in 2012.
2. In 2013, the "Let's Play" era began on YouTube, with Minecraft being a popular category.
3. The main audience of popular "Let's Play Minecraft" channels was predominantly children aged 10-12 years old.
4. In 2014, formats such as beauty blogs, challenges, and lifestyle vlogs began to gain popularity on YouTube.
5. The Google scandal with advertisers led to stricter rules on YouTube, including restrictions on swearing, mentioning minorities in a negative way, and showing harmful or dangerous actions.
6. In 2018, the YouTube policy regarding children's content was introduced, requiring creators to check a box indicating that their content is for children.
7. Content marked as "for children" is not monetized and does not appear in recommendations on the main YouTube page.
8. YouTube's algorithm for selecting advertising is based on the age of the viewer, with different ads being shown to children and adults.
9. The average age of YouTube viewers is often misreported, as young children often do not indicate their real age when registering.
10. The YouTube policy has led to a decrease in monetization for many creators, with some choosing to move to other platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
11. The adult audience is repelled by YouTube's policy, leading to a decrease in viewership for non-family-friendly content.
12. Despite this, there are still many large channels on YouTube with a predominantly adult audience.
13. The creator of the video has noticed a change in their own content, with more light and family-friendly material being produced in recent months to comply with YouTube's rules.