YouTube Tightens Monetization Rules for New Creators

YouTube is reportedly tightening its monetization rules for new creators as the number of creators on the platform continues to grow. Under the revised YouTube Partner Program (YPP) requirements, creators would need to achieve 8,000 hours of watch time in the past 12 months or 20 million Shorts views within 90 days to qualify for monetization, compared with the earlier thresholds of 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views, along with 1,000 subscribers. The new rules are scheduled to take effect from February 1, while existing YPP creators who are already earning revenue will not be affected.

YouTube has also clarified that creators must consistently maintain 10 million Shorts views over a 90-day period to continue earning from the Shorts Creator Pool. If views fall below the threshold, only Shorts revenue will be suspended, while creators can continue earning from long-form videos. Shorts revenue will resume once the required view count is reached again. The platform said the changes reflect its rapid growth, with Shorts generating more than 200 billion daily views and TVs recording over one billion hours of watch time each day. YouTube is also expanding its lower-cost Premium Lite subscription to all countries where YouTube Premium is available, with eligible creators receiving a share of the revenue.