To combat impersonation, YouTube fan channels are enforced with strict policies. YouTube took it upon themselves community page to announce this improvement and also alert fan channels to the upcoming change. Now most of these channels have to make certain changes or adjustments in the various accounts they manage or face the consequences.
This policy change comes in light of the influx of fan channels on the video sharing platform. Most of these channels are not what they claim to be as they are more into content stealing and impersonation. Reposting a video without tagging the creator or using a channel’s avatar or banner on a so-called fan page is now so common on YouTube.
With this change in the YouTube imitation policy, most content creators can protect their work from theft. It also helps those who scroll through YouTube to know the actual source of the videos they love to watch. Now let’s take a look at the changes to YouTube’s impersonation policy.
Details on the new impersonation policy affecting some YouTube fan channels
In an attempt to combat imitation on its platform, YouTube is changing some of its policies. This change could spell the end for some accounts that are now on YouTube posing as fan accounts. Instead of these accounts acknowledging the works of content creators, they outright steal these works from them.
Now the video-sharing platform requires all fan accounts to clearly declare their purpose. This means fan accounts must point out through their “channel name or handle” that their channel does not represent the source of their posts. By doing this, they can make it clear to other users that they have no link to the creator (source of the videos they repost) but that they are only their fans.
For the next several months, allow fan accounts that outright post others’ content on the platform. Fan accounts that use the logo, avatar, banner or other identifying elements of an original account will also be penalized. YouTube labels these actions as impersonation and not fandom. Any account that does this can be penalized.
The new impersonation policy goes into effect on August 21, 2023, so all fan accounts can make the necessary changes. These include polishing their channel not to look like that of the YouTuber they’re a fan of. If you don’t make these changes before the deadline, the fan account will be deleted for violating the impersonation policy.