Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Violating the Community Guidelines can get your channel a strike, whatever kind of content it is
YouTube's Community Guidelines are its rules for how to behave on the platform. They apply to all types of content, including unlisted and private content, comments, links, posts and thumbnails, and YouTube says the list is not complete. If your content violates them, your channel "may" get a strike. It does not say a strike is automatic: the page also says the first violation is typically only a warning, which is explained in later cards.
Supporting quotations
These policies apply to all types of content on our platform, including unlisted and private content, comments,
This list isn’t complete.
If your content violates our Community Guidelines, your channel may get a strike.
the first violation is typically only a warning
Qualifications & exceptions
The page says the channel "may" get a strike, not that it always will.
The first violation is "typically" only a warning, not a strike.
Not stated here
The Community Guidelines themselves are linked but not supplied, so which behavior counts as a violation is not part of this analysis.
The page says the list of content types is not complete, so it does not state every kind of content or feature the rules reach.
The page does not say who decides whether a violation gets a warning or a strike, or by what standard.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
Content removed for other reasons, like a privacy complaint or court order, does not earn a strike
YouTube says it may remove content for reasons other than Community Guidelines violations. It gives two examples: a first-party privacy complaint and a court order. In those cases the channel does not get a strike.
Supporting quotations
We may remove content for reasons other than Community Guidelines violations.
For example, a first-party
In these cases, your channel won't get a strike.
Qualifications & exceptions
The two reasons are given as examples ("For example"), so the page does not claim they are the only non-strike removal reasons.
Not stated here
The page does not list the other reasons YouTube may remove content, and the linked privacy complaint page is not supplied.
The page does not say whether removal for these reasons has other consequences for the channel.
Account & Service Control · User right or choice
To stay on YouTube, learn the Community Guidelines; if you think a strike was a mistake, you can appeal
YouTube says it wants to help you stay on YouTube and asks you to do two things. First, learn about the Community Guidelines so your content follows its policies. Second, if your channel got a strike and you think YouTube made a mistake, let it know: you can appeal the decision.
Supporting quotations
We want to help you stay on YouTube, so remember to do the following:
to make sure your content follows our policies.
If your channel got a strike, and you think we've made a mistake, let us know. You can appeal the decision
Qualifications & exceptions
The appeal applies to a strike you think was a mistake.
Not stated here
The page does not describe the appeal process, how long it takes, or the standard YouTube uses to decide an appeal.
The appeal link and the Community Guidelines page are not supplied here.
The page does not say whether a strike stays or the penalty period continues while an appeal is pending.
Account & Service Control · Permission or license
YouTube reserves the right to restrict your ability to create content, or turn off your channel, at its discretion
YouTube says it reserves the right to restrict a creator's ability to create content at its discretion. It says your channel may be turned off or restricted from using any YouTube features. The page sets out strike steps above, but this sentence is not tied to a strike count or to any stated condition.
Supporting quotations
YouTube also reserves the right to restrict a creator's ability to create content at its discretion.
Your channel may be turned off or restricted from using any YouTube features.
Qualifications & exceptions
The channel "may" be turned off or restricted; the page does not say it will be.
Not stated here
The page gives no criteria for when YouTube uses this discretion.
The page does not say whether you are notified or can appeal a restriction imposed this way.
Cross-references
contrast (model-proposed): At your first strike you can't upload, go live, schedule or create posts, thumbnails or playlists for 1 week — contrast: The page lays out a stepped system, with a fixed list of limited features for 1 week at the first strike. Separately it reserves the right to restrict a creator's ability to create content at its discretion, and says a channel may be restricted from any YouTube feature. The page does not say how the stepped system and this discretion fit together.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
If your channel is restricted, you can't use, create or acquire another channel to get around it
YouTube says that if your channel is turned off or restricted, you are prohibited from using, creating or acquiring another channel to get around the restrictions. The prohibition applies as long as the restriction remains active on your YouTube channel. YouTube says violating it is circumvention under its Terms of Service and may result in termination of all your existing channels, any new channels you create or acquire, and channels in which you are repeatedly or prominently featured.
Supporting quotations
If this happens, you're prohibited from using, creating, or acquiring another channel to get around these restrictions.
This prohibition applies as long as the restriction remains active on your YouTube channel.
Violation of this restriction is considered circumvention under our
may result in termination of all your existing YouTube channels, any new channels that you create or acquire, and channels in which you are repeatedly or prominently featured.
Qualifications & exceptions
The rule starts with "If this happens", referring to the restriction or turn-off described in the paragraph before.
It applies for as long as the restriction remains active on your channel.
Termination is stated with "may", not as automatic.
Not stated here
The Terms of Service are linked but not supplied, so what they say about circumvention is not part of this analysis.
The page does not define "repeatedly or prominently featured", so which channels you do not own would be reached is not stated.
The page does not say how YouTube decides that a channel is being used to get around a restriction.
YouTube emails you when you get a strike and says what was removed, which policy, the effect and what to do next
YouTube says that when you get a strike you are told by email. You can also choose to get notifications on your mobile and computer, and in your channel settings. YouTube says it will also tell you what content was removed, which policies it violated (for example harassment or violence), how the strike affects your channel, and what you can do next.
Supporting quotations
When you get a strike, you're told via email.
You can also choose to have notifications sent to you through your mobile and computer notifications, and in your
What content was removed
Which policies it violated
How it affects your channel
What you can do next
Qualifications & exceptions
The mobile, computer and channel-settings notifications are something you can choose to turn on, in addition to email.
Not stated here
The page does not say how soon after the content is removed the notice is sent.
The sentence speaks of getting a strike; it does not say whether a warning comes with the same notice.
The linked policy pages and channel settings page are not supplied.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
The first violation is typically only a warning, which may not expire if you break the same policy again within 90 days
YouTube says the first violation is typically only a warning, not a strike. You can take an optional policy training to have the warning expire after 90 days. But if your content violates the same policy within that 90-day window, the warning may not expire and your channel may be given a strike. The page presents the warning and then each strike as the ways a violation affects your channel.
Supporting quotations
If your content violates our Community Guidelines, here’s how it affects your channel:
that’s why the first violation is typically only a warning
To have this warning expire after 90 days, you can take an optional
However, if your content violates the same policy within that 90 day window, the warning may not expire and your channel may be given a strike.
Qualifications & exceptions
"Typically" means the first violation is usually, not always, only a warning.
Whether a warning expires depends on completing an optional training; the warning "may not expire" if the same policy is violated within 90 days.
The channel "may be given" a strike, not necessarily will be.
Not stated here
The page does not say whether or when a warning expires if no training is taken.
The page does not say what counts as the same policy, or what happens when a different policy is violated and no training was taken. It says only that a different policy violated after completing a training gives another warning.
The page does not say how many warnings a channel can receive.
One case of severe abuse can end in channel termination with no warning; you can appeal if you think it was a mistake
YouTube says that sometimes a single case of severe abuse will result in channel termination without warning, so the warning step does not always come first. If you think YouTube made a mistake, you can submit an appeal. The page does not say what counts as severe abuse.
Supporting quotations
Sometimes a single case of severe abuse will result in
without warning. If you think we made a mistake, you can
Qualifications & exceptions
"Sometimes" limits this to some cases of severe abuse; the page does not say which.
Not stated here
The page does not define "severe abuse" or say who decides whether a case is severe.
The linked channel termination and appeal pages are not supplied, so the appeal process, timing and standard are not part of this analysis.
An optional policy training makes a warning expire 90 days after you complete it, but not every warning is eligible
Policy trainings are short in-product educational experiences about the specific Community Guidelines policy you violated. If you get a warning, you can open the training from the YouTube app and Studio, anywhere you usually check policy violations, including the Studio dashboard and the Content tab, and through links in email and banner notifications. If you complete a training, the warning expires after 90 days, counted from when you complete the training rather than from when the warning was issued. If you then violate a different policy, you get another warning.
Supporting quotations
Policy trainings are short in-product educational experiences based on the specific Community Guidelines policy you’ve violated.
If you receive a Community Guidelines warning, you can access the policy training from the YouTube app and your Studio account anywhere you typically check your policy violations.
Note: Not all Community Guidelines warnings are eligible for policy trainings.
If you complete an optional policy training, your warning will expire after 90 days. The 90-day period starts from when the training is completed, not when the warning is issued.
If you violate a different policy after completing the training, you will get another warning.
Qualifications & exceptions
Not all Community Guidelines warnings are eligible for policy trainings.
The 90 days start when the training is completed, not when the warning is issued.
The page says a different policy violated after the training gives another warning; it does not describe what happens if the same policy is violated again.
Not stated here
The page does not say how long a training takes or what completing it requires.
The page does not say which warnings are not eligible.
Repeated violations may still lead to account termination, and repeat offenders may be barred from trainings
Even with optional trainings, YouTube says repeated violations of its policies, or a single case of severe abuse, may still result in termination of your account. YouTube also says it may prevent repeat offenders from taking trainings in the future. This text speaks of your account, while the warning text above speaks of channel termination; the page does not say how the two relate.
Supporting quotations
Repeated violations of our policies– or a single case of severe abuse– may still result in the termination of your account.
We may prevent repeat offenders from taking trainings in the future.
Qualifications & exceptions
Both outcomes are stated with "may", not as automatic.
Not stated here
The page does not define how many repeated violations lead to termination.
The page does not say whether terminating "your account" is different from terminating a channel.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
At your first strike you can't upload, go live, schedule or create posts, thumbnails or playlists for 1 week
The page puts this under the heading "First Strike" and says you get a strike if YouTube finds your content does not follow its policies for a second time. The strike means that for 1 week you cannot upload videos or live streams; start a scheduled live stream; schedule a video to become public; create a Premiere; add a trailer to an upcoming Premiere or live stream; create custom thumbnails or posts; create, edit or add collaborators to playlists; or add or remove playlists from the watch page with the Save button. Scheduled public content is set to private for the penalty period, and you have to reschedule it when the freeze period ends. After the 1 week YouTube restores full privileges automatically.
Supporting quotations
If we find your content doesn’t follow our policies for a second time, you'll get a strike.
This strike means you will not be allowed to do the following for 1 week:
Upload videos or live streams
Start a scheduled live stream
Schedule a video to become public
Create a Premiere
Add a trailer to an upcoming Premiere or live stream
Create custom thumbnails or posts
Create, edit, or add collaborators to playlists
Add or remove playlists from the watch page using the “Save” button
Your scheduled public content is set to “private” for the penalty period duration. You have to reschedule it when the freeze period ends.
After the 1-week period, we restore full privileges automatically
Qualifications & exceptions
The restriction lasts 1 week and privileges are restored automatically afterwards, though the strike stays on the channel for 90 days.
Scheduled public content is set to private, and you have to reschedule it yourself.
Not stated here
The heading says First Strike but the text refers to content that does not follow the policies for a second time; the page does not spell out how the earlier warning counts toward this.
The listed restrictions are the ones the page names; the page does not say whether others also apply.
The "Schedule a video to become public" item is flagged as a link to another document whose text is not supplied here, so this card cannot say what that document adds about scheduling.
Account & Service Control · Procedure
The penalty period starts from the date of acknowledgement
YouTube notes that the penalty starts from the date of acknowledgement. The page does not say what is being acknowledged or by whom, so exactly when the penalty period begins cannot be determined from this page.
Supporting quotations
Note: Penalty starts from the date of acknowledgement.
Qualifications & exceptions
The note appears in the First Strike section.
Not stated here
"Acknowledgement" is not defined: it could mean you acknowledging the notice or something else.
The page does not say whether the note also applies to the second-strike period.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
A strike stays on your channel for 90 days from the date it was issued, even after your privileges return
After the 1-week first-strike period YouTube restores privileges automatically, but the strike remains on the channel for 90 days. The page repeats under the second and third strike that each strike does not expire until 90 days from the time it was issued. This 90-day period is the window for counting a second or third strike.
Supporting quotations
but the strike remains on your channel for 90 days.
Each strike will not expire until 90 days from the time it was issued.
Each strike will not expire until 90 days from the time it was issued.
Qualifications & exceptions
Strikes are counted within the same 90-day period.
Not stated here
The page does not say what happens to the record of a strike after it expires.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
A strike may also cost you access to advanced features
YouTube says a strike may also result in losing access to advanced features, and links to a page on how to regain access. The page does not say which features are advanced, how long the loss lasts, or what regaining access requires.
Supporting quotations
A strike may also result in losing access to
Qualifications & exceptions
The loss is stated with "may", not as automatic.
Not stated here
The linked pages on advanced features and regaining access are not supplied.
The page does not say whether this applies at every strike or how it relates to the 1-week and 2-week periods.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
A second strike within 90 days of the first means no posting content for 2 weeks
If you get a second strike within the same 90-day period as your first strike, you will not be allowed to post content for 2 weeks. If there are no further issues, YouTube restores full privileges automatically after the 2-week period. Each strike does not expire until 90 days from the time it was issued.
Supporting quotations
If you get a second strike within the same 90-day period as your first strike, you will not be allowed to post content for 2 weeks.
If there are no further issues, after the 2-week period, we restore full privileges automatically.
Qualifications & exceptions
The second strike counts only if it falls within the same 90-day period as the first.
Privileges are restored automatically if there are no further issues.
Not stated here
The page says "post content" without listing the features, and does not say whether the first-strike list applies.
The page does not say what "further issues" means.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
Three strikes in the same 90-day period may get your channel permanently removed
YouTube says 3 strikes in the same 90-day period may result in your channel being permanently removed from YouTube. The page says "may", so removal is not stated as automatic. As with the earlier strikes, each strike does not expire until 90 days from the time it was issued.
Supporting quotations
3 strikes in the same 90-day period may result in your channel being permanently removed from YouTube.
Qualifications & exceptions
Removal is stated with "may", not as automatic.
Not stated here
The page does not say what decides whether removal happens after three strikes.
The page does not say whether the appeal route applies to a removal after three strikes.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
An Official Artist Channel that gets a strike is suspended and becomes a standard channel
If your Official Artist Channel gets a Community Guidelines strike, YouTube says the channel will be suspended and become a standard channel. The page does not say which strike number triggers this or how long the suspension lasts.
Supporting quotations
If your Official Artist Channel gets a Community Guidelines strike, the channel will be suspended and become a standard channel.
Qualifications & exceptions
The sentence says the channel gets "a Community Guidelines strike" without tying it to the first, second or third strike.
Not stated here
The page does not say whether Official Artist status can be regained.
The linked page for more information is not supplied.