YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki on Wednesday said the site will now allow some of its creators to make money off of videos discussing the coronavirus outbreak, a decision that counters the stance YouTube took a month ago when it decided to demonetize all videos related to coronavirus.
The change, which will be implemented in the next few days, will apply to a “limited number of channels, including creators who accurately self-certify and a range of new partners,” Wojcicki said.
“It remains our top priority to provide information to users in a responsible way. From the very beginning of this outbreak, we’ve worked to prevent misinformation associated with the spread of the virus,” Wojcicki said. “We’re also raising up authoritative sources in search and recommendations and showing information panels on relevant videos.”
YouTube will continue to remove videos that discourage people from seeking medical help, Wojcicki added.
The internet’s biggest video site initially decided to demonetize coronavirus videos because it violated the company’s policy against “sensitive events,” which includes things like natural disasters. Wojcicki said that, because the coronavirus outbreak remains an ongoing issue, YouTube was reversing course.
Earlier on Wednesday, YouTube canceled its in-person Brandcast event, due to coronavirus concerns, in favor of an online broadcast. The event was scheduled to take place in late April.
