YouTube to Tighten Monetisation Rules from July 15

New Delhi: YouTube will roll out a major update to its monetisation policy starting July 15, 2025, to crack down on low-effort, mass-produced, and repetitive content. The change will affect creators globally and is part of the platform’s ongoing efforts to ensure that monetised content remains original, valuable, and authentic.

As per the announcement made on YouTube’s official support page, creators under the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) must now adhere to stricter guidelines to qualify for earning revenue through ads and memberships.

“This update better reflects what ‘inauthentic’ content looks like today,” YouTube stated, referencing recent increases in AI-generated and reused material.

What’s Changing?

Under the revised YPP rules:

• Borrowed content must be significantly transformed through editing, commentary, or educational value.

• Repetitive or templated content must serve a clear purpose — either educational or entertaining — and not exist solely for views or monetisation.

• AI-generated voices or videos without meaningful input or transformation may be deemed inauthentic and ineligible for monetisation.

This includes channels that mass-upload content with minimal editing, voiceovers from AI tools, or rely on clickbait tactics.

Who Will Be Affected?

While YouTube hasn’t detailed the exact penalties for non-compliance, creators whose content fails to meet the updated standards may face demonetisation. This could particularly impact smaller or automation-reliant channels trying to meet the platform’s monetisation thresholds.

To qualify for YPP, creators still need:

• 1,000 subscribers, and

• Either 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months, or

• 10 million short views over the past 90 days.

Why This Matters

This policy signals YouTube’s move to combat low-quality content, especially in the age of AI. It’s also a step toward ensuring the platform rewards creativity, originality, and content that contributes meaningfully to its vast global audience.

The update follows other recent platform-wide changes, including barring users under 16 from live streaming without adult supervision.

YouTube is yet to release detailed enforcement guidelines or penalties, though more clarity is expected soon. Content creators are encouraged to review their uploads and adapt to the new standards before July 15.