Last week YouTube announced another change to their policy regarding firearms related videos. As some of you know, YouTube gun channels have been under the microscope for so time now. Most gun channels have been demonetized, and the rules that govern the “acceptable” content keep changing. Some channels have also received enough “strikes” to be deleted from the platform, requiring the channel’s owner to prove to YouTube the strikes were not justified (or to correct the problem).
While this is not surprising to many, it is sad to think that a large corporation can essential enforce their own political beliefs by making it too difficult for content creators to make videos that their audiences will want to watch. At some point, many channel owners may just stop making videos because it isn’t worth the effort.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) had a good commentary on the subject and I encourage anyone that is interested in this topic to check it out here. The new rules are outlined below:
From https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7667605?hl=en
YouTube prohibits certain kinds of content featuring firearms. Specifically, we don’t allow content that:
- Intends to sell firearms or certain firearms accessories through direct sales (e.g., private sales by individuals) or links to sites that sell these items. These accessories include but may not be limited to accessories that enable a firearm to simulate automatic fire or convert a firearm to automatic fire (e.g., bump stocks, gatling triggers, drop-in auto sears, conversion kits), and high capacity magazines (i.e., magazines or belts carrying more than 30 rounds).
- Provides instructions on manufacturing a firearm, ammunition, high capacity magazine, homemade silencers/suppressors, or certain firearms accessories such as those listed above. This also includes instructions on how to convert a firearm to automatic or simulated automatic firing capabilities.
- Shows users how to install the above-mentioned accessories or modifications.
While this may not result in the cancellation of all gun channels on YouTube now, the writing is on the wall. I hope it doesn’t come to that, but only time will tell. In the meantime, I hope some heavy hitters in the firearms industry are working on an alternative streaming platform. In the meantime, check out Full30, this sight has many of the well know “GunTubers” on it as well, and it is firearms friendly.