YouTube introduces new policy for fan channels

Google-owned YouTube has introduced a new policy for fan channels on the video-sharing platform. If someone operates a fan channel, they have to make it obvious in their channel name or handle that their channel does not represent the original creator, artist or entity, the company said in a support page on Thursday. “For example, channels claiming to be a ‘fan account’, but actually posing as another’s channel and reuploading their content would not be allowed.” Another example would be the disallowance of channels that share the same name, avatar or banner as another channel with the only change being the addition of a space or the substitution of a zero for the letter O. This update will protect authentic fan channels from content and channels imitating them. Additionally, this change should prevent creators’ names and likenesses from being utilised for malicious purposes, and viewers from being misled by the channels they engage with and follow, the company said. Meanwhile, last week, the video-sharing platform had announced that it is lowering the eligibility requirements for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) and also introduced a few monetisation methods for smaller creators, including paid chat, tipping, channel memberships and shopping features.