YouTube has recently provided more insight into their violence and adult content policies, as well as clarification on inappropriate language policies and how profanity could result in videos being flagged for limited or no monetization. Continue reading for more details on these updates.

Inappropriate language is likely the most common reason that videos get flagged for limited or no monetization. YouTube has recently provided more clarification on exactly what profanity is accepted and not accepted according to their advertiser-friendly guidelines: 

• Safe for ads: None, or light profanity (like “hell,” or “damn”); censored profanity in the title, thumbnail, or opening of the video (roughly the first 30 seconds); infrequent usage of strong profanity (like the "f-word”) after the opening; or strong profanity in a music video.
• Safe for limited ads: Strong profanity in the title, thumbnail, or opening of a video (roughly the first 30 seconds); strong profanity in the title or thumbnail of a music video; strong profanity used frequently throughout the video.
• Not safe for ads: Extreme profanity used in the title, thumbnail or at any point throughout the video, including hateful slurs.

Videos may be also be flagged for limited or no monetization due to adult content. YouTube has now provided more examples of what types of adult content would or would not be flagged for limited or no monetization:

• Safe for ads: None, or romance or kissing; discussions of romantic relationships or sexuality without reference to intercourse; moderately sexually suggestive content that may include limited clothing; sensual dancing, non-graphic sex education, or a music video containing sexual content without nudity.
• Safe for limited ads: Blurred or censored nudity, even if used for education, news, or in other contexts; focus on sexual body parts (even if covered), discussions of intimate sexual experiences, implied sexual acts, sex toys without human contact or nudity, or realistic representations of genitalia.
• Not safe for ads: Exposed breasts or full nudity, sexual acts, animal mating, discussion of fetishes, or a video thumbnail with sexual content.

Violence may also be a reason that your videos get flagged for limited or no monetization. Further clarification on these policies has also been provided by YouTube:

• Safe for ads: None, Violence that occurs as part of unedited video gameplay; mild violence with minimal blood; dead bodies that are fully censored, blurred, prepared for burial, or shown in historical events like wars, as part of an educational video.
• Safe for limited ads: Edited video gameplay with some clips that focus on graphic violence; moderate violence that shows blood; dead bodies prepared for burial or shown in historical events like wars, as part of a non-educational video.
• Not safe for ads: Edited video gameplay that primarily focuses on graphic violence; severe violence or death that shows blood; harm to minors; abuse of animals; domestic violence; graphic dead bodies in a non-educational video.

Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions, and you can see YouTube's full advertiser policies here: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9194476