YouTube systems don’t always get it right, but you can request human review of decisions made by YouTube automated systems.
What you’ll find in this article
You’ll find examples of content not suitable for ads, and will result in a “limited or no ads” monetization state.
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Here are all the main topics that are not advertiser-friendly:
Please note that context is very important. Artistic content such as music videos may contain elements such as inappropriate language, references to soft drug usage, or non-explicit sexual themes, and still be suitable for advertising.
Inappropriate language
Content that contains frequent uses of strong profanity or vulgarity throughout the video may not be suitable for advertising. Occasional use of profanity (such as in music videos) won’t necessarily result in your video being unsuitable for advertising.
Guide to Self-Certification
Violence
Content where the focal point is on blood, violence, or injury, when presented without other context, is not suitable for advertising. If you’re showing violent content in a news, educational, artistic, or documentary context, that additional context is important. For example, if a video provides authoritative news reporting on a violent event in a journalistic context, it may be eligible for monetization. Violence in the normal course of video gameplay is generally acceptable for advertising, but montages where gratuitous violence is the focal point is not. All games (whether realistic or non-realistic) are in scope of this policy.
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Guide to Self-Certification
Adult content
Content that features highly sexualized themes is not suitable for advertising, with limited exceptions for non-graphic sexual education videos and music videos. This includes both real and computer-generated visuals. Stating your comedic intent is not sufficient and that content may still not be suitable for advertising.
Guide to Self-Certification
Shocking content
Content that may upset, disgust or shock viewers may not be suitable for advertising. Uncensored shocking elements won’t necessarily result in your video being unsuitable for advertising, but context matters.
Guide to Self-Certification
Harmful or dangerous acts
Content that promotes harmful or dangerous acts that result in serious physical, emotional, or psychological injury is not suitable for advertising.
Guide to Self-Certification
Hateful & derogatory content
Content that incites hatred against, promotes discrimination, disparages, or humiliates an individual or group of people is not suitable for advertising. Content that is satire or comedy may be exempt. Stating your comedic intent is not sufficient and that content may still not be suitable for advertising.
Guide to Self-Certification
Recreational drugs and drug-related content
Content that promotes or features the sale, use, or abuse of illegal drugs, regulated legal drugs or substances, or other dangerous products is not suitable for advertising.
Guide to Self-Certification
Firearms-related content
Content focused on the sale, assembly, abuse, or misuse of real or fake firearms is not suitable for advertising.
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Guide to Self-Certification
Controversial issues
‘Controversial issues’ refers to topics that may be unsettling for YouTube users and are often the result of human tragedy. This policy applies even if the content is purely commentary or contains no graphic imagery.
Guide to Self-Certification
Sensitive events
A sensitive event is usually an unforeseen event in which there has been a loss of life, typically as a result of a pre-planned malicious attack by foreign terrorist organizations (FTO) or drug trade organizations (DTO). Sensitive events can cause a mournful response from the public or, at times, an extreme or visceral reaction. An event must be relatively recent if it’s going to be considered a sensitive event. Context is important: for instance, authoritative news reporting or documentary videos about a historic event may be eligible for monetization.
This policy applies even if the content is purely commentary or contains no graphic imagery.
Guide to Self-Certification
Incendiary and demeaning
Content that is gratuitously incendiary, inflammatory, or demeaning may not be suitable for advertising. This policy falls under Hateful & derogatory in the self-certification questionnaire in YouTube Studio, so be sure to check that one as well for detailed guidance.
Examples (non-exhaustive)
Tobacco-related content
Content that promotes tobacco and tobacco-related products is not suitable for advertising. This policy falls under Harmful or dangerous acts in the self-certification questionnaire in YouTube Studio, so be sure to check that one as well for detailed guidance.
Examples (non-exhaustive)
Adult themes in family content
Content that appears to be appropriate for a general audience but contains adult themes is not suitable for advertising. This guideline applies even if content is done for comedic or satirical purposes. This policy falls under Adult content in the self-certification questionnaire in YouTube Studio, so be sure to check that one as well for detailed guidance.
Examples (non-exhaustive)
All videos uploaded to YouTube must comply with YouTube’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. To be able to monetize with ads, you’ll need to follow the YouTube monetization policies and Google AdSense Program policies.
YouTube may reserve the right to disable ads on your entire channel in situations where the majority of your content is not suitable for any advertisers or where there are repeated, serious violations (e.g. uploading of content which is incendiary, demeaning or hateful)
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