YouTube/GunTube Policy change - what do you think?

[cali_jazz]

I think the review loaner question is going to be a big part of how impactful this really is. There's obviously a big difference between “they gave me this $5K gun” and “they loaned it to me for two weeks and I have to send it back.” If ordinary T&E loaners aren't covered, this may not be as dire as it first looks.

The other thing I'm wondering about is where the gun companies' advertising money goes? I'm sure most of their marketing budget goes to getting new products in front of guys like Honest Outlaw, Hickok45, Colion, etc., whether it's guns, sponsorship money, ammo or whatever. They don't have nearly as many conventional advertising options as most industries. If YouTube does kill sponsored reviews, that money has to go somewhere.

I'm not convinced this kills GunTube or even comes close. A lot depends on what YouTube does with normal review guns and loaners. If those are still allowed, this may not be that big a deal. But if YouTube does kill sponsored reviews, I don't think the money just disappears. It may drive more of the multi-platform model I'm increasingly seeing with channels like Active Self Protection - put the allowed/limited stuff on YouTube, link to Rumble or a private site for the full content, and offer a paid membership for even more "special" content.

 

[ikeo1]

I think the review loaner question is going to be a big part of how impactful this really is. There's obviously a big difference between “they gave me this $5K gun” and “they loaned it to me for two weeks and I have to send it back.” If ordinary T&E loaners aren't covered, this may not be as dire as it first looks.

The other thing I'm wondering about is where the gun companies' advertising money goes? I'm sure most of their marketing budget goes to getting new products in front of guys like Honest Outlaw, Hickok45, Colion, etc., whether it's guns, sponsorship money, ammo or whatever. They don't have nearly as many conventional advertising options as most industries. If YouTube does kill sponsored reviews, that money has to go somewhere.

I'm not convinced this kills GunTube or even comes close. A lot depends on what YouTube does with normal review guns and loaners. If those are still allowed, this may not be that big a deal. But if YouTube does kill sponsored reviews, I don't think the money just disappears. It may drive more of the multi-platform model I'm increasingly seeing with channels like Active Self Protection - put the allowed/limited stuff on YouTube, link to Rumble or a private site for the full content, and offer a paid membership for even more "special" content.

If there giving them a gun to review, it’s a sponsored ad. It’s not their property, so it’s an ad.

People ultimately don’t go to rumble the platform already exists but people aren’t there. Not enough money or viewers. In the next few months we’ll see what it does, the interesting thing is it’s retroactive.

This is one of the main reasons I didn’t want to do gun content after getting a strike and a warning for my reloading vids. There’s just too much drama.

I’m sure they’ll survive, 2 years ago there was a big thing and it passed and guntubers are even bigger now.

 

[ikeo1]

 

[jayson_b24]

I believe Chris buys his own guns from donations and not gifts or samples from manufacturers

Correct.

 

[john_marsten_1873]

It honestly seems like they’re looking to get rid of gun content altogether. That’s their right as a private company.

That does leave an opening for a new platform.

 

[Gawernator]

Guess I'm glad my channel is not big enough to anyone to want to send me free guns. Though, I'm a Fusion Firearms "Ambassador" and they claim they heavily discount firearms for the purposes of comparison. Pretty sure that would be purchasing it with my own $.

Luckily nobody is coming after sponsored motorcycle parts and Kawasaki yet.

But how would this be enforced if nobody stated the brand deal

 

[Gawernator]

I'm kind of for it in a way, but I think it's only fair to do that for ALL products and services regardless of industry. More honest reviews and less shilling.

Screw this tbh. You can be honest and not shill and still be supported or sponsored. I don’t partner with any brands to use their products if I don’t like the actual product. Pirelli really is that good, SBS and Galfer do make amazing brakes, MOTUL really does make great products etc etc… do you know how hard it is to make it as a pro athlete? You basically need to also be a full time influencer on top of paying your way through the sport to HOPEFULLY make a little money or break even if you’re lucky.

It took years of training and making a name to get any sort of deals and you want to take them away from everyone? Tf

 

[Gawernator]

They got tired of seeing Colion glaze every free gun he got sent lol

lol. I had to unsubscribe after all these years. Every video was just glazing or saying the same thing other channels already said

 

[cali_jazz]

If there giving them a gun to review, it’s a sponsored ad. It’s not their property, so it’s an ad.

People ultimately don’t go to rumble the platform already exists but people aren’t there. Not enough money or viewers. In the next few months we’ll see what it does, the interesting thing is it’s retroactive.

This is one of the main reasons I didn’t want to do gun content after getting a strike and a warning for my reloading vids. There’s just too much drama.

I’m sure they’ll survive, 2 years ago there was a big thing and it passed and guntubers are even bigger now.

I'm not sure a normal T&E loaner is automatically a sponsored ad just because the reviewer doesn't own it. YouTube's language is about getting something of value in exchange for the content. If they give you the gun, obviously. If they loan it to you for two weeks and you send it back, I think that's one of the things that still needs clarification.

Reno brought up something I think is potentially much bigger. His reading is that even if you buy the gun yourself, putting an unrelated sponsor like DeleteMe or a mobile game in the video makes the entire video branded content, and branded content can't feature weapons. If that's really how YouTube enforces it, buying your own guns doesn't solve the revenue problem.

I agree on Rumble. It already exists and most people aren't there. The question is whether this pushes enough of the bigger channels to start moving their audience there instead of just using it as a backup.

 

[cali_jazz]

It honestly seems like they’re looking to get rid of gun content altogether. That’s their right as a private company.

That does leave an opening for a new platform.

I don't think we know that they're trying to get rid of gun content altogether. This branded-content change isn't specific to guns; it's a much broader change to how YouTube handles sponsorships and advertising. Guns and ammo are one of the prohibited categories that get caught by it.

YouTube still specifically says ordinary gun reviews and demonstrations can be monetized, and earlier this year they actually loosened one of the firearm monetization rules. So I'm not convinced the goal is to eliminate GunTube. It may just be that gun content gets hit particularly hard by a broader advertising policy.

 

[treelogger]

I have a lot of questions. Which might date me ... I hardly ever watch video or YouTube content. Please ELI5.

What is GunTube?

Being blacklisted totally screwed me and my other business and now my rates went from 2.7% to 6-7% for cc fee.

What is your other business?

What does YouTube's policy have to do with your credit card fees? Or does cc mean something else?

I believe Chris buys his own guns from donations and not gifts or samples from manufacturers

Who is Chris?

 

[Gawernator]

I don't think we know that they're trying to get rid of gun content altogether. This branded-content change isn't specific to guns; it's a much broader change to how YouTube handles sponsorships and advertising. Guns and ammo are one of the prohibited categories that get caught by it.

YouTube still specifically says ordinary gun reviews and demonstrations can be monetized, and earlier this year they actually loosened one of the firearm monetization rules. So I'm not convinced the goal is to eliminate GunTube. It may just be that gun content gets hit particularly hard by a broader advertising policy.

What, how? They absolutely are targeting guns, they put them in the same section as illegal drugs and hacking software wtf. Completely banned. If it wasn’t targeted then why specifically weapons and ammunition? iPhone is okay, walther PDP completely banned sitewide.

Some goods, services, or brands may not be promoted at all in branded content. You can find more details on specifically prohibited content here.

Here are some examples of content that’s not allowed on YouTube.

Branded content featuring:

• Recreational drugs or paraphernalia
• Weapons or ammunition
• Hacking software
• Counterfeit products
• An academic essay-writing service

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/17596007?hl=en

 

[cali_jazz]

Who is Chris?

Chris is "Honest Outlaw".

https://www.youtube.com/@HonestOutlawReviews

 

[Gawernator]

I have a lot of questions. Which might date me ... I hardly ever watch video or YouTube content. Please ELI5.

What is GunTube?


What is your other business?

What does YouTube's policy have to do with your credit card fees? Or does cc mean something else?


Who is Chris?

X-tube is a shorthand for influencers or channels in a certain hobby. In this case guns.

Chris is the influencer behind Honest outlaw a large channel

 

[cali_jazz]

What, how? They absolutely are targeting guns, they put them in the same section as illegal drugs and hacking software wtf. Completely banned. If it wasn’t targeted then why specifically weapons and ammunition? iPhone is okay, walther PDP completely banned sitewide.

Some goods, services, or brands may not be promoted at all in branded content. You can find more details on specifically prohibited content here.

Here are some examples of content that’s not allowed on YouTube.

Branded content featuring:

• Recreational drugs or paraphernalia
• Weapons or ammunition
• Hacking software
• Counterfeit products
• An academic essay-writing service

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/17596007?hl=en

True guns are specifically called out.

What I disagree with is the jump from that to YouTube trying to get rid of gun content altogether. A PDP isn't "completely banned sitewide." YouTube still specifically allows gun reviews and demonstrations and says qualifying videos can earn ad revenue. They even loosened the monetization rules on 30 rd mags earlier this year. The September change also wasn't just about guns. It was a much broader change to how YouTube handles branded content and sponsorships. Guns and ammo are specifically prohibited from branded content, so gun channels obviously get hit by it.

You're right in that YouTube is specifically restricting firearms when it comes to sponsored content. That's not the same thing as banning gun content from YouTube or showing that the purpose of this particular change is to eventually get rid of GunTube altogether, is my point.

We can agree this isn't a good direction for gun content, even if we disagree on where it may be ultimately headed.

 

[Darqhelmet]

I’ve been quietly downloading gun smithing videos from YouTube. Disassembly and reassembly of guns I own. Repairs. Modifications. I’ve got a hard drive with them backed up. I think it’s just a matter of time before they get taken down. If there is a complete disassembly/ reassembly of a rifle or pistol you own or want to build. I would download the video as a fail safe sooner than later.

This is a really good idea.

 

[ikeo1]

YouTube's language is about getting something of value in exchange for the content. If they give you the gun, obviously. If they loan it to you for two weeks and you send it back, I think that's one of the things that still needs clarification.

If you get the firearm and you create a video on it and you make money from said video, then you are gaining value from it. Otherwise if you didn’t have it you wouldn’t have made the video.

The company gets a video and name drops. So it’s how it’s interpreted .

It took years of training and making a name to get any sort of deals and you want to take them away from everyone? Tf

The same can be argued with YouTube. They give you a platform AND pay you. They split the revenue 55/45 with you but your sponsored ad cuts them out of the deal on their platform which is being used to advertise to their users.

I can see it here with a couple of free accounts who feel really entitled to everything being free for them and the audacity of donating/paying for the site. That’s someone else’s responsibility because of their first amendment rights while at the same time complaining about another group freeloading off the government.

Anyways, just saying YouTube is trying to do what’s best for them with CYA. Same here, we can’t mess around and like I said the other day I got banned.

If you notice too the firearm community can be cannibalizing. We see it here from time to time, and there is actually a nicer community where they’ll rush to charge backs or complain about one thing or the other and just the entitlement is high.

 

[ikeo1]

X-tube is a shorthand for influencers or channels in a certain hobby. In this case guns.

Chris is the influencer behind Honest outlaw a large channel

I thought it was something else man…

 

[Darqhelmet]

Pepperbox and is full30 still a thing?

As for the 230 stuff all social media platforms have crossed that line a long time ago. The algorithm makes them a publisher not a platform. , the assuies are looking at passing a law that is going to require algorithm kill switch. So it will be like back in the day, post by your family, friends, and who you subscribed to, in chronological order.

 

[ikeo1]

What is your other business?

What does YouTube's policy have to do with your credit card fees? Or does cc mean something

Two parts.

Cc is credit card processing. Every FFL has to deal with it. This site gets treated like an FFL even though we only sell digital badges, memberships, and soon to be merch. Fees for FFL’s are higher because customers in the niche are quick to complain and make all kinds of demands.

My other business is unrelated but because I was blacklisted as the primary, accounts I create get scrutinized more heavily and may be terminated because of this association.

I never would’ve thought all this would come from running the site when I created it. It has created a lot of different latent issues.