Self-certification is available to all creators who are able to monetise their content through the YouTube Partner Programme.
The feature, initially tested with a number of creators, sees YouTubers assess their own videos against the platform’s advertiser-friendly guidelines to determine which ads can be run on the content.
In a video detailing the programme, Tim, a YouTube employee, says: “The goal is to reduce errors from our automated reviews and help your videos get monetised more accurately from the start.
“We know it might feel weird to tell us your video isn’t suitable for all advertisers, but when you’re able to rate your content accurately, it lets us know we can start to trust your ratings for future uploads and not have to rely on our automated systems.”
Responding to a user on Twitter, YouTube explained that the platform will still rely on its automated systems to begin with, until a user’s ratings “consistently match ours over time”, when an individual’s input is used to “make the right decisions”.
“Your first inputs *do* count in that we’re comparing them to our automated systems to determine whether you’re rating accurately – once we’re confident that you’re rating accurately, we’ll start relying on your inputs more heavily to determine which monetization icon to apply,” they said.
YouTube went on to add that the automated systems can still make mistakes and be appealed by creators.
Introducing Self-Certification, now live for everyone in YPP https://t.co/5mHSePrzey
✔️Tell us what’s in your video & see expected $ icon status
✔️The more accurate you are, the more we’ll rely on your input over time
✔️Get detailed reviewer feedback after yellow $ icon appeals— TeamYouTube at 🏠 (@TeamYouTube) April 23, 2020
For creators unsure how to rate their content, it is advised that the video is uploaded as unlisted, the individual “[errs] on the side of caution” and request a manual review.
“When you get that final decision from a human rater, they’ll leave some notes as to why that decision was made that will help you understand the choice for future context,” Tim says.
If a creator is unable to rate their content accurately, then the platform will default back to its automated systems, with channels which ‘repeatedly misrepresent’ their videos facing a review of their inclusion in the YouTube Partner Programme.
More information about the self-certification can be found on the YouTube Help website.
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