6 ms·

I could be wrong but I don't think YouTube TOS allows publicizing this kind of information. I would be afraid of my channel being de-monetized. I believe they

I could be wrong but I don't think YouTube TOS allows publicizing this kind of information. I would be afraid of my channel being de-monetized. I believe they have a similar policy for AdSense.

runarberg 4y ago
I think such policy is illegal in many countries. An employer cannot prohibit workers from discussing salaries. This is often a measure to combat against gender discrimination at a workplace. I’m not sure how this affects contractors, but I would be surprised if these laws wouldn’t cover contractors as well.
- foota 4y ago
  They're not a contractor?
- kube-system 4y ago
  The YouTube Partner program doesn’t pay people to do any sort of work, though. It is a revenue sharing program. Usually a wage or salary is a payment in exchange for doing something. Which this isn’t. I would imagine most places treat this similarly to the way something like a book publishing agreement works.
- phpisthebest 4y ago
  >> An employer cannot prohibit This is my biggest pet peeve with YouTubers. THEY ARE NOT EMPLOYEES OF YOUTUBE. employment laws do not apply to a youtuber, unless they are employed by some other company, but they do NOT have an employment relationship with YouTube, they are not "employees" of YouTube, and Susan Wojcicki is not "their boss"
  - dec0dedab0de 4y ago
    That's an odd pet peeve, and while you're probably right in most places, I wouldn't be surprised if some countries define employee differently. Atleast in regards to wether or not certain practices or fine print is legal.
    - phpisthebest 4y ago
      >>That's an odd pet peeve Everytime there is a YT Change (like happen recently) there is all these videos where YT often try to compare their experience with employment, how their "boss" Susan did something, or how they are being "Fired" if they get banned, or other such non-sense. That is my peeve. >>I wouldn't be surprised if some countries define employee differently. I would be surprised if any nation classified a person uploading videos on to a platform with the hopes of having a revenue share on ads the 3rd party sells on those videos is in anyway an "employee" of any kind. I would also be surprised if any country has laws where 2 parties could not agree to non-disclosure of the terms of their business contract (which is the basis for this comment thread). that is pretty standard really I would also be surprised since most of the time when you upload a video you have to agree you will be governed under the Laws of the US, and even more specific the laws of California
      - coldtea 4y ago
        >I would be surprised if any nation classified a person uploading videos on to a platform with the hopes of having a revenue share on ads the 3rd party sells on those videos is in anyway an "employee" of any kind. I would be surprised in some countries dont change their laws at some time to account for this digital sharecropping (from Youtube and iOS App Store to Uber, etc), and set some rules (like with employment) to this wild west of making a living that affects millions...
        lotsofpulp 4y ago
        Digital sharecropping? Any country or group of people is welcome to spin up their own data centers and content moderations teams to make their own YouTube.
        smadge 4y ago
        The digital sharecropper analogy is less about the monopoly position of platforms but about the content creator and platform relationship. More platforms wouldn’t change that relationship.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
- alvah 4y ago
  Where do people get the idea that they are either employees of or contractors to YouTube? Do Amazon affiliates and bloggers monetizing with AdSense have the same, false idea?
jonas21 4y ago
I don't think that's right. A lot of YouTubers make videos detailing their YouTube earnings and post them to YouTube (for example [1]). If it were against the ToS, you'd think YouTube would at least remove those videos. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Rm-ElJPDJk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Rm-ElJPDJk
- doodlesdev 4y ago
  It is against ToS I'm pretty sure, I don't remember YouTube ever doing anything about it ever though since a lot of people really do share this information publicly.
  - cowsandmilk 4y ago
    Can you point to the section of the ToS? In my brief glance just now, I didn’t see anything disallowing sharing this information.
    - doodlesdev 4y ago
      The terms for the partner program aren't the same as for the YouTube website and are not available publicly (at least from my short search). I did read it a few years ago when I was considering monetizing a small channel I had and remember very vividly something along those lines in the terms.
  - Aaronmacaron 4y ago
    I came across a YouTube creator who shared their revenue with their audience. They mentioned that the idea that sharing revenue is not allowed has been a myth for many years. However, I believe that some channel networks may prohibit creators from disclosing their revenue. Unfortunately, I cannot recall the name of the creator.
- hahalolha 4y ago
  > I don't think that's right. A lot of YouTubers make videos detailing their YouTube earnings and post them to YouTube (for example [1]). If it were against the ToS, you'd think YouTube would at least remove those videos. From memory, the issue is publicly disclosing CPM among some other things (at least it was 4+ years ago). I actually wonder if posting it off-platform is even allowed, I've seen Twitch enforce their platform exclusivity for 24 hours for Partners.
Scoundreller 4y ago
Dunno about YouTube, but Adsense used to prohibit that but then reversed that policy. I remember emailing someone that said they “didn’t share how much they made because it’s against TOS” after the policy changed and they still declined. I think it might have been the “I made my Christmas lights controlled by anyone on the internet” guy. It was a long time ago.
- AnonGooseTown 4y ago
  That guy is Matt Parker from StandUpMaths
lathiat 4y ago
That used to be the case but it changed at some point I think about 2 years ago - couldn't find a quick reference to exactly when it changed but I remember seeing quite a few channels start publishing their earnings once it changed. This quora post quotes the terms: https://www.quora.com/Am-I-allowed-to-show-my-earnings-to-my-audience-on-YouTube-I-really-wanna-show-people-how-much-they-can-make-Is-it-against-the-rules https://www.quora.com/Am-I-allowed-to-show-my-earnings-to-my... "HOWEVER, YOU MAY ACCURATELY DISCLOSE THE AMOUNT OF GOOGLE’S GROSS PAYMENTS TO YOU PURSUANT TO THE PROGRAM" Linus Tech Tips has published their earnings for the past couple of years. One detailed video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zt57TWkTF4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zt57TWkTF4 Linus also posted his adsense of ~$4.6million for the last 9 months a couple of days ago: https://twitter.com/linusgsebastian/status/1609468262219403264/photo/1 https://twitter.com/linusgsebastian/status/16094682622194032...
- walrus01 4y ago
  Linus Media Group has at least ten full time employees and rents a fairly large office/warehouse/studio space in the Vancouver suburb area of Surrey/Langley BC. Their payroll and overhead costs probably eat up a significant part of that 4.6m.
  - AnonGooseTown 4y ago
    They are up to ~80 employees if I recall. However the YouTube ad revenue is just one component not including video sponsorships and their merch store.
    - nighthawk454 4y ago
      Up to ~100 according to Linus's reply tweet: https://twitter.com/linusgsebastian/status/1609469861494951941 https://twitter.com/linusgsebastian/status/16094698614949519...
  - dharmab 4y ago
    They have other revenue streams. Sponsorships, YouTube Premium, Floatplane, their online store, affiliate links on YouTube and their forums to name some.
noduerme 4y ago
Is this really so hush-hush, secret or amazing? It seems pretty run of the mill... there must be millions of people with access to these reports for various channels.

I could be wrong but I don't think YouTube TOS allows publicizing this kind of information. I would be afraid of my channel being de-monetized. I believe they have a similar policy for AdSense.

runarberg 4y ago

I think such policy is illegal in many countries. An employer cannot prohibit workers from discussing salaries. This is often a measure to combat against gender discrimination at a workplace. I’m not sure how this affects contractors, but I would be surprised if these laws wouldn’t cover contractors as well.

foota 4y ago
They're not a contractor?
kube-system 4y ago
The YouTube Partner program doesn’t pay people to do any sort of work, though. It is a revenue sharing program. Usually a wage or salary is a payment in exchange for doing something. Which this isn’t. I would imagine most places treat this similarly to the way something like a book publishing agreement works.
phpisthebest 4y ago
>> An employer cannot prohibit This is my biggest pet peeve with YouTubers. THEY ARE NOT EMPLOYEES OF YOUTUBE. employment laws do not apply to a youtuber, unless they are employed by some other company, but they do NOT have an employment relationship with YouTube, they are not "employees" of YouTube, and Susan Wojcicki is not "their boss"
- dec0dedab0de 4y ago
  That's an odd pet peeve, and while you're probably right in most places, I wouldn't be surprised if some countries define employee differently. Atleast in regards to wether or not certain practices or fine print is legal.
  - phpisthebest 4y ago
    >>That's an odd pet peeve Everytime there is a YT Change (like happen recently) there is all these videos where YT often try to compare their experience with employment, how their "boss" Susan did something, or how they are being "Fired" if they get banned, or other such non-sense. That is my peeve. >>I wouldn't be surprised if some countries define employee differently. I would be surprised if any nation classified a person uploading videos on to a platform with the hopes of having a revenue share on ads the 3rd party sells on those videos is in anyway an "employee" of any kind. I would also be surprised if any country has laws where 2 parties could not agree to non-disclosure of the terms of their business contract (which is the basis for this comment thread). that is pretty standard really I would also be surprised since most of the time when you upload a video you have to agree you will be governed under the Laws of the US, and even more specific the laws of California
    - coldtea 4y ago
      >I would be surprised if any nation classified a person uploading videos on to a platform with the hopes of having a revenue share on ads the 3rd party sells on those videos is in anyway an "employee" of any kind. I would be surprised in some countries dont change their laws at some time to account for this digital sharecropping (from Youtube and iOS App Store to Uber, etc), and set some rules (like with employment) to this wild west of making a living that affects millions...
      - lotsofpulp 4y ago
        Digital sharecropping? Any country or group of people is welcome to spin up their own data centers and content moderations teams to make their own YouTube.
        smadge 4y ago
        The digital sharecropper analogy is less about the monopoly position of platforms but about the content creator and platform relationship. More platforms wouldn’t change that relationship.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
alvah 4y ago
Where do people get the idea that they are either employees of or contractors to YouTube? Do Amazon affiliates and bloggers monetizing with AdSense have the same, false idea?

jonas21 4y ago

I don't think that's right. A lot of YouTubers make videos detailing their YouTube earnings and post them to YouTube (for example [1]). If it were against the ToS, you'd think YouTube would at least remove those videos. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Rm-ElJPDJk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Rm-ElJPDJk

doodlesdev 4y ago
It is against ToS I'm pretty sure, I don't remember YouTube ever doing anything about it ever though since a lot of people really do share this information publicly.
- cowsandmilk 4y ago
  Can you point to the section of the ToS? In my brief glance just now, I didn’t see anything disallowing sharing this information.
  - doodlesdev 4y ago
    The terms for the partner program aren't the same as for the YouTube website and are not available publicly (at least from my short search). I did read it a few years ago when I was considering monetizing a small channel I had and remember very vividly something along those lines in the terms.
- Aaronmacaron 4y ago
  I came across a YouTube creator who shared their revenue with their audience. They mentioned that the idea that sharing revenue is not allowed has been a myth for many years. However, I believe that some channel networks may prohibit creators from disclosing their revenue. Unfortunately, I cannot recall the name of the creator.
hahalolha 4y ago
> I don't think that's right. A lot of YouTubers make videos detailing their YouTube earnings and post them to YouTube (for example [1]). If it were against the ToS, you'd think YouTube would at least remove those videos. From memory, the issue is publicly disclosing CPM among some other things (at least it was 4+ years ago). I actually wonder if posting it off-platform is even allowed, I've seen Twitch enforce their platform exclusivity for 24 hours for Partners.

Scoundreller 4y ago

Dunno about YouTube, but Adsense used to prohibit that but then reversed that policy. I remember emailing someone that said they “didn’t share how much they made because it’s against TOS” after the policy changed and they still declined. I think it might have been the “I made my Christmas lights controlled by anyone on the internet” guy. It was a long time ago.

AnonGooseTown 4y ago
That guy is Matt Parker from StandUpMaths

lathiat 4y ago

That used to be the case but it changed at some point I think about 2 years ago - couldn't find a quick reference to exactly when it changed but I remember seeing quite a few channels start publishing their earnings once it changed. This quora post quotes the terms: https://www.quora.com/Am-I-allowed-to-show-my-earnings-to-my-audience-on-YouTube-I-really-wanna-show-people-how-much-they-can-make-Is-it-against-the-rules https://www.quora.com/Am-I-allowed-to-show-my-earnings-to-my... "HOWEVER, YOU MAY ACCURATELY DISCLOSE THE AMOUNT OF GOOGLE’S GROSS PAYMENTS TO YOU PURSUANT TO THE PROGRAM" Linus Tech Tips has published their earnings for the past couple of years. One detailed video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zt57TWkTF4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zt57TWkTF4 Linus also posted his adsense of ~$4.6million for the last 9 months a couple of days ago: https://twitter.com/linusgsebastian/status/1609468262219403264/photo/1 https://twitter.com/linusgsebastian/status/16094682622194032...

walrus01 4y ago
Linus Media Group has at least ten full time employees and rents a fairly large office/warehouse/studio space in the Vancouver suburb area of Surrey/Langley BC. Their payroll and overhead costs probably eat up a significant part of that 4.6m.
- AnonGooseTown 4y ago
  They are up to ~80 employees if I recall. However the YouTube ad revenue is just one component not including video sponsorships and their merch store.
  - nighthawk454 4y ago
    Up to ~100 according to Linus's reply tweet: https://twitter.com/linusgsebastian/status/1609469861494951941 https://twitter.com/linusgsebastian/status/16094698614949519...
- dharmab 4y ago
  They have other revenue streams. Sponsorships, YouTube Premium, Floatplane, their online store, affiliate links on YouTube and their forums to name some.

noduerme 4y ago

Is this really so hush-hush, secret or amazing? It seems pretty run of the mill... there must be millions of people with access to these reports for various channels.