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YouTube demonizes videos on the recently released management simulator, Weedcraft Inc., which allows you to start a business in which you grow, grow and sell marijuana. The developer Vile Monarch and the publisher Devolver Digital have published today on Steam for $ 20.
But Weedcraft is having a problem on YouTube. Content creators and influencers see Google categorizing Weedcraft-related videos as irrelevant to advertisers. This operation is also called "demonetization" and means that these videos will not generate advertising revenue. When YouTube does this, it discourages creators from covering certain topics or products. And that will probably happen to Weedcraft, which could hurt its sales.
I contacted YouTube to request information on the demonetization of Weedcraft videos. A spokesperson explained that this was part of his policy "Drugs and dangerous products or substances". This rule states that videos are not user-friendly for advertisers regarding the sale, consumption or abuse of illegal drugs. The YouTube spokesperson confirmed that YouTube will remove ads from all videos that violate this rule.
Stephanie Tinsley, Devolver's public relations rep for Twitter, pointed out that Weedcraft was a legal marijuana business.
So, Weedcraft, a game about creating a commercial business around legal marijuana, does not display illegal drug use or violence, but has just been banned from Facebook and YT videos are demonetized.
But you can post ads for all shootingerman shooter simulators without any problem. pic.twitter.com/3lfl9fi0Re
– J. Jenkins of Qai Qai (@AgentTinsley) April 11, 2019
Marijuana for recreational purposes is legal in many US states. The medical pot is still legal. But under federal law, it is still an illegal narcotic. The legal status of marijuana, however, varies around the world. Last year, Canada legalized the hobby grass.
"We have never tried to market a game and we have faced so much resistance," said Devolver's Mike Wilson, in a note to GamesBeat. "Who knew that mogul games would be such a controversial topic that many potential marketing partners would not want to be involved? It's absurd considering the actual content of the game. "
YouTube's drug policy is not relevant
YouTube's position on illicit drugs makes sense from a general point of view. Advertisers do not want to spend money to put their products in front of viewers selling the sale of cocaine cut with rat poison in the back of an old RadioShack. But YouTube offers countless illicit drug videos, which no announcer disputes. And YouTube makes an exception for this type of content:
"Videos dealing with drugs or hazardous substances for educational, documentary and artistic purposes are generally suitable for advertising, as long as drug use or addiction is not graphic or glorified."
It is disconcerting that YouTube's spokesperson says this is the reason why Weedcraft's videos are not user-friendly for advertisers. The game itself is a commentary on the legal trade of weeds. You may call it "educational" or "artistic" purposes, but in any case, it seems that YouTube's rules explicitly allow content such as Weedcraft. The game does not even offer as much actual marijuana consumption.
Most people do not download raw videos from the Weedcraft game, however. Instead, they film themselves playing and commenting on the game. But in this situation, YouTube's strategy on drugs and dangerous substances seems not to be applied.
If I posted a video criticizing Weedcraft and its content, I would not use drugs. I create reviews on a video game. I asked YouTube if it would demonetize something like that, and it did not provide an answer.
Every drug is an illegal drug if you believe in yourself
YouTube's demonetization rules are well known to creators. The company spokesman said he had clear guidelines, but it's not clear how some of Weedcraft's videos are breaking his rules.
The clear and consistent application of the content is not really the priority of YouTube. His first concern is to avoid a conflict with advertisers. YouTube experienced ad-junk in 2017 when ads were shown in front of videos created by Hezbollah. At that time, Felix "PewDiePie" Kjellberg made a video in which he paid the poor to hold a sign saying "Death to all Jews" for $ 5.
In response, advertisers removed their marketing campaigns from the platform. This included pharmaceutical companies like Johnson & Johnson, one of the leading opioid manufacturers in America. Businesses have demanded that YouTube warranty ads not be shown to unwanted content.
Since then, creators have had to adjust their content in response to YouTube's algorithm. And the algorithm often has no meaning.
From the outside, it seems that Weedcraft is involved in YouTube's advertiser protection efforts because it mentions "weed" and it's not a video clip of Lil Pump. But it's the justifications of YouTube that sound hollow. It is clear that YouTube allows many content adjacent to drugs to generate advertising revenue on its platform. So, when YouTube tries to defend a policy that does not apply or seems to be applied selectively to protect companies that sell opioids, it's frustrating for developers and publishers.
Or, as Tinsley explains, "Good God!
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