YouTube tells creators they can drop more F-bombs

YouTube has updated its monetization policies, allowing creators to use stronger profanity, such as the word "fuck," in the first seven seconds of their videos without facing limited ad revenue. This change comes after previous restrictions on profanity in the first 8-15 seconds of videos, which had been a source of frustration for many creators. According to YouTube's head of monetization policy experience, Conor Kavanagh, the company's policies have evolved to align with changing advertiser expectations. While "moderate profanity," such as "asshole" or "bitch," is still subject to limitations, the use of "strong profanity" in the initial moments of a video is now eligible for full monetization. However, YouTube will continue to limit monetization for videos that use profanity in titles or thumbnails, or have a "high frequency" of strong profanity, as these still violate the platform's advertiser-friendly content guidelines. The update aims to provide creators with more flexibility in their language while balancing the needs of advertisers.