- Instead of suspending accounts immediately, Google will let YouTube Partner Program members file an early appeal for certain violations.
- The creator-friendly change finally addresses how devastating suspension from the YPP can be for people relying on its income.
Looking at it from far enough away, being a YouTube creator seems like the best job in the world: film yourself doing what you love, share it with millions of viewers who hold similar interests, and watch the views (and those ad dollars) roll in. Of course, in reality, it can be much more of a frantic hustle, where you’re constantly trying to appease not just Google’s ever-changing algorithms, but fickle viewer habits, as well. If the situation weren’t difficult enough, YouTube has a reputation for aggressively going after accounts it perceives as violating it polices, often with a “shoot suspend first, ask questions later” attitude. To the great relief of YouTubers everywhere, Google is finally making some creator-friendly changes to the way it handles suspensions.
Today we’re talking specifically about the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), for monetized creators who hit the eligibility thresholds. Being accepted into and remaining part of the YPP is critical for creators whose livelihood depends on their videos, so getting suspended from it threatens to be devastating. Historically, Google would respond to policy violations by suspending accounts from YPP, and only then offering creators who felt wronged a chance to file an appeal. But going forward, in some cases, at least, Google will give creators the chance to make that case for an appeal prior to actually suspending the account.