YouTube's monetisation crackdown divides creator economy; praise for originality push, but payout concerns loom

As YouTube prepares to enforce its stricter monetisation policies from July 15, 2025, the Indian creator community is divided but largely supportive of the platform’s attempt to clean up what many call a cluttered and exploitative ecosystem. Under the updated YouTube Partner Program (YPP) guidelines, creators uploading repetitive, reused, or mass-produced content will no longer be eligible to earn revenue, a move YouTube says is aimed at rewarding authenticity and curbing low-effort content farming.

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The update has already sparked intense conversations among digital creators, agencies, and platform strategists. While many see it as a long-overdue step to safeguard originality, others warn that YouTube must clearly define what it considers “low-effort” to avoid unfair demonetisation of niche or experimental content.

“This Was Needed – Creativity Was Becoming a Hack”

Zain Anwar, a YouTuber who creates narrative-driven content, strongly backs the policy. “It’s a fair and much-needed call,” he says. “YouTube was the one place where content — not brands — paid creators. But over time, creators found loopholes to make money through factory-produced, clickbait content. This change will bring the focus back to good storytelling.”

He adds that this isn’t a blanket ban on AI-generated content, but a warning against content mills that rehash the same videos. “The distinction between creating and exploiting the system was getting blurred. This filters out creators who joined just for quick money.”

Vlogger Avinash Dagar echoes this sentiment: “This rule is actually great for real creators. Copied content had flooded the platform. Those who are angry are likely running AI or copy-paste channels.”

Standup comedian Aanchal Agrawal adds that the move will help better content distribution and cut through the clutter of click bait and AI overload. "I think these new policies will give a new boost of motivation to budding creators. This will bring back some integrity and respect too in the content ecosystem for creators who’re genuinely working towards building their brands whether it is by entertainment, educating or any other way."

Impact: Nano and Micro Influencers to Feel the Heat

While macro creators with established formats may continue unaffected, nano and micro influencers — especially those who rely on template-based or reused content — could be the most vulnerable.

Mohini, a lifestyle YouTuber, points out that nano creators who bank on trending formats, reaction videos, or reused audio-visuals might feel the pinch. But it's an opportunity to focus on originality.

Content creator Ankur Agarwal agrees that new creators may struggle, but sees a silver lining: “Yes, nano creators will be affected, but this could push them to explore their own voice. That’s better in the long run.”

Financial educator Sakchi Jain believes the policy is a direct hit to those using shortcuts. "I also think this is actually a good wake-up call. If you are a genuine creator who shares your own ideas and does your own research, you have nothing to worry about. This change will actually help people who want to grow honestly with their work."

The Creator Playbook: What’s Next?

Most creators see this as a return to fundamentals — originality, relatability, and personal storytelling.

“Focus on value. Make good content. Money will follow,” says Zain. “Go back to creating sticky, engaging videos — not just trend-chasing edits.”

Prableen Kaur Bhomrah, who focuses on body positivity, plans to double down on long-form storytelling. “I’ll prioritise content that helps, educates or inspires — something people remember. This policy sets a higher standard.”

Read more: YouTube cracks down on repetitive content: Monetisation only for original creators from July 15

Shivashish Tarkas, founder of content firm The InterMentalist, offers a nuanced take: “It’s a great move if implemented fairly. The risk is that genuine creators might get caught in the crossfire if the policy is vague or poorly enforced.”

For Tarkas, the deeper problem remains unresolved: “Indian creators earn peanuts despite huge engagement. Brand deals are unstable. YouTube must rethink its revenue share model — creators are its foundation.”

The Industry View: Necessary, But Not Without Nuance

From the business side, agencies are cautiously optimistic.

Ayush Guha, Business Head at Creator18, says: “This is a great move. We’ve always worked with creators who build original, culture-relevant content. The move helps in curbing down pages/channels who have take pieces of content from creators and build their own channels with clickbait thumbnails some of which can shed negative light on the original creater."

With various AI tools enabling mass content creation with minimal human effort, Kunal Sawant, Business Head, The Goat Agency, believes this move is a step toward improving the overall quality of content on the platform.

Its success, however, will depend on how transparently and fairly YouTube implements these changes at scale. "Clear guidelines, consistent enforcement, and a fair appeals process will be key to ensuring the platform remains both innovative and inclusive."

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Sankalp Samant, Co-founder, Idiotic Media believes that the audience is, and will always be the king. If people choose to watch low-effort AI videos, that’s their call but platforms like YouTube have a responsibility to protect the creators who keep the ecosystem credible and aspirational. "YouTube’s timing is right. AI content has already reached a point where it’s hard to distinguish real from fake."

But Shradha Agarwal, Co-Founder & CEO of Grapes, questions YouTube’s role as arbiter of what’s “original.”

“Let’s not pretend originality is a fixed idea. Everyone borrows. AI is the new internet — it accelerates creativity, it doesn’t kill it.”

She warns against overregulation: “If content floods the platform, let the audience decide what cuts through. Views, shares, and engagement are the new quality filters — not outdated definitions of authenticity.”

YouTube’s updated monetisation policy is a clear warning to low-effort, mass-produced content farms. But the move also signals a deeper shift in the creator economy — a push toward thoughtful, high-effort storytelling over quantity-based hustle.