YouTube’s new monetisation policy targets repetitive, non-original content starting July 15

YouTube is making some big changes in its monetisation policy starting July 15 and if you’re a creator, what you upload next might matter more than ever.

In a significant move set to impact a large portion of its creator base, YouTube is updating its monetisation policies under the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). Beginning July 15, 2025, creators uploading reused, repetitive, or low-effort content will no longer be eligible to earn revenue through the platform. The change reflects YouTube’s ongoing efforts to prioritise original content and curb practices that exploit the platform’s reach without offering substantial value to viewers.

The revised policy, published on YouTube’s support pages, specifies that mass-produced, AI-generated, or reused content that lacks originality will no longer be monetisable. This includes reaction mashups and over-edited repurposings of others’ videos. The company states that its focus is now firmly on content that either educates or entertains in a way that reflects the creator’s own effort, voice, and point of view.

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Why the Change?

While YouTube hasn’t publicly cited any specific trend or controversy prompting the policy change, it aligns with broader concerns about the proliferation of low-quality or spammy content, often made to trick the algorithm. According to the platform, the intention is to reduce clickbait, poor-quality uploads, and content that is repeatedly recycled with minimal input from the uploader.

This move is part of a larger effort to ensure that monetisation opportunities remain accessible to creators producing meaningful, original content, while discouraging practices that dilute the platform’s overall quality.

What type of content will be monetised?

Monetisation will now favour creators who consistently produce educational content with clear learning value, original and engaging entertainment, and videos featuring their own visuals and audio, rather than reused or minimally edited material.

This also means creators will need to demonstrate a clear creative input, rather than relying on third-party material or trending formats that can be easily duplicated.

The basic eligibility criteria for joining the YouTube Partner Program remain unchanged. To apply for the YouTube Partner Program, creators still need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in 12 months, or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days.

However, even after meeting these numbers, YouTube will now review the originality of a creator’s content before approving monetisation. Reused or repetitive content, even if it technically complies with copyright rules, may lead to rejection.

A more regulated platform

For some creators, especially those who built their channels on commentary clips, reaction compilations, or templated formats, this update may signal a need to rethink their approach. Others, particularly smaller or newer creators relying on AI-generated or pre-existing media, may find the new scrutiny around “originality” difficult to navigate.

At the same time, the policy reinforces YouTube’s intention to support creators who treat content as craft, not just output, which is a distinction that’s becoming increasingly relevant in a time of automation and content saturation.

Whether the policy will significantly alter the repetitive content we see on the platform or simply push it to other platforms remains to be seen. What’s clear is that YouTube is recalibrating what it considers valuable, and creators who want to earn on the platform will have to adjust accordingly.

What are your thoughts on YouTube’s new monetisation rules? Drop your take in the comments below.

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