The guidelines cover every kind of content, including unlisted and private videos, comments, links, posts and thumbnails
YouTube says its Community Guidelines apply to all types of content on the platform. Its examples include unlisted and private content, comments, links, posts and thumbnails, so content that is not publicly listed is still covered. YouTube adds that this list of content types is not complete, so other content types may be covered too.
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These policies apply to all types of content on our platform, including, for example, unlisted and private content, comments, links, posts, and thumbnails. This list isn’t complete.
Qualifications & exceptions
The listed content types are examples; YouTube states the list is not complete.
Content that would otherwise violate the guidelines may stay up under the EDSA exception described on the same page.
Not stated here
The page does not name the content types beyond the examples.
Content & IP Rights · User right or choice
Users are asked to report content they think breaks the guidelines
YouTube presents the guidelines as rules for a worldwide community and asks anyone who sees content they think violates them to report it. The page frames reporting as a request to users, not a duty, and does not describe on this page how a report is made or what YouTube does with it.
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When you use YouTube, you join a community of people from all over the world. The guidelines below help keep YouTube fun and enjoyable for everyone.
If you see content that you think violates these guidelines, report it.
Qualifications & exceptions
Reporting depends on the user's own judgment that content violates the guidelines ("content that you think violates").
Not stated here
How to report, and how YouTube reviews or responds to a report, is not described on this page.
Content & IP Rights · Restriction or exception
Content with educational, documentary, scientific or artistic context may stay up even if it otherwise breaks the rules
YouTube may leave up content that would otherwise violate its Community Guidelines when it has Educational, Documentary, Scientific or Artistic (EDSA) context. It may also make exceptions for content in the public's interest, such as congressional or parliamentary proceedings, campaign speeches, or debates over ongoing government actions. Such content gets an "EDSA exception". The exception is discretionary ("may stay", "may also make exceptions"), and YouTube states it is not a pass to violate the guidelines. How YouTube evaluates EDSA context is on a separate linked page that was not supplied.
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Sometimes, content that would otherwise violate our Community Guidelines may stay on YouTube when it has Educational, Documentary, Scientific, or Artistic (EDSA) context, including content that is in the public’s interest. In these cases, the content gets an EDSA exception.
Our Community Guidelines aim to make YouTube a safer community. Sometimes, content that would otherwise violate our Community Guidelines may stay on YouTube when it has Educational, Documentary, Scientific, or Artistic (EDSA) context. We may also make exceptions for content that is in the public’s interest, such as congressional or parliamentary proceedings, campaign speeches, or debates over ongoing government actions. In these cases, the content gets an EDSA exception. This is not a pass to violate our Community Guidelines.
How YouTube evaluates Educational, Documentary, Scientific, and Artistic (EDSA) content
Qualifications & exceptions
YouTube decides whether the exception applies; content with EDSA context "may" stay, not must.
The public-interest examples are examples ("such as"), not a complete list.
YouTube states the exception "is not a pass to violate our Community Guidelines."
Not stated here
The criteria YouTube uses to evaluate EDSA content are on the linked page "How YouTube evaluates Educational, Documentary, Scientific, and Artistic (EDSA) content", which was not supplied.
Whether the exception is available for every policy category (for example child safety) is not stated on this page.
Cross-references
narrows (model-proposed): Content meant to scam, mislead, spam or defraud other users is not allowed — exception_to: The EDSA exception lets content that would otherwise violate the Community Guidelines, including the spam and deceptive practices rules, stay on YouTube at YouTube's discretion when it has educational, documentary, scientific or artistic context or is in the public's interest; it is not a pass to violate the guidelines.
narrows (model-proposed): Hate speech, predatory behavior, graphic violence, malicious attacks and harmful or dangerous content are not allowed — exception_to: The EDSA exception lets content that would otherwise violate the Community Guidelines, including the violent or dangerous content rules, stay on YouTube at YouTube's discretion when it has educational, documentary, scientific or artistic context or is in the public's interest; it is not a pass to violate the guidelines.
Content & IP Rights · Restriction or exception
Content meant to scam, mislead, spam or defraud other users is not allowed
Under "Spam & deceptive practices", YouTube says content that intends to scam, mislead, spam or defraud other users isn't allowed. The test stated here is the content's intent. The page points to six detailed policies for this area: spam, impersonation, external links, fake engagement, playlists and additional policies. Those policy pages were not supplied, so their specific rules are not covered here. Content that would otherwise break these rules may still stay up under the EDSA exception, which YouTube says is not a pass to break the guidelines.
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The YouTube Community is one that's built on trust. Content that intends to scam, mislead, spam, or defraud other users isn't allowed on YouTube.
Spam policy
Impersonation policy
External links policy
Fake engagement policy
Playlists policy
Additional policies
Qualifications & exceptions
Content in this category that would otherwise violate the Community Guidelines may still stay up under the EDSA exception (educational, documentary, scientific or artistic context, or public interest); the page says that exception is not a pass to violate the guidelines.
The rule as stated turns on what the content "intends" to do.
Not stated here
The detailed rules sit in the linked policy pages, which were not supplied with this page; what each policy allows or forbids is not stated here.
Content & IP Rights · Restriction or exception
Rules on child safety, nudity and sexual content, self-harm, thumbnails and vulgar language are set by linked policies
Under "Sensitive content", YouTube says it aims to protect viewers, creators and especially minors, and so has rules about keeping children safe, sex and nudity, and self-harm. This page does not itself state what is forbidden. It names five detailed policies: nudity and sexual content, thumbnails, child safety, suicide, self-harm and eating disorders, and vulgar language. Those policy pages were not supplied, so their specific rules are not covered here. Content that would otherwise break these rules may still stay up under the EDSA exception, which YouTube says is not a pass to break the guidelines.
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We hope to protect viewers, creators, and especially minors. That's why we've got rules around keeping children safe, sex & nudity, and self harm. Learn what's allowed on YouTube and what to do if you see content that doesn't follow these policies.
Nudity & sexual content policies
Thumbnails policy
Child safety policy
Suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders policy
Vulgar language policy
Qualifications & exceptions
Content in this category that would otherwise violate the Community Guidelines may still stay up under the EDSA exception (educational, documentary, scientific or artistic context, or public interest); the page says that exception is not a pass to violate the guidelines.
This section describes the purpose of the rules (protecting viewers, creators and especially minors) rather than stating a prohibition itself.
Not stated here
The detailed rules sit in the linked policy pages, which were not supplied with this page; what each policy allows or forbids is not stated here.
Content & IP Rights · Restriction or exception
Hate speech, predatory behavior, graphic violence, malicious attacks and harmful or dangerous content are not allowed
Under "Violent or dangerous content", YouTube says hate speech, predatory behavior, graphic violence, malicious attacks and content that promotes harmful or dangerous behavior aren't allowed. It names five detailed policies: harmful or dangerous content, violent or graphic content, violent criminal organizations, hate speech, and harassment and cyberbullying. Those policy pages were not supplied, so how each term is defined and where the lines fall is not covered here. Content that would otherwise break these rules may still stay up under the EDSA exception, which YouTube says is not a pass to break the guidelines.
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Hate speech, predatory behavior, graphic violence, malicious attacks, and content that promotes harmful or dangerous behavior isn't allowed on YouTube.
Harmful or dangerous content policies
Violent or graphic content policies
Violent criminal organizations policy
Hate speech policy
Harassment & cyberbullying policies
Qualifications & exceptions
Content in this category that would otherwise violate the Community Guidelines may still stay up under the EDSA exception (educational, documentary, scientific or artistic context, or public interest); the page says that exception is not a pass to violate the guidelines.
Not stated here
The page does not define hate speech, predatory behavior, graphic violence, malicious attacks or harmful or dangerous behavior.
The detailed rules sit in the linked policy pages, which were not supplied with this page; what each policy allows or forbids is not stated here.
Content & IP Rights · Restriction or exception
Certain goods can't be sold on YouTube, including under the firearms and regulated-goods policies
Under "Regulated goods", YouTube says certain goods can't be sold on YouTube. The page does not list which goods; it points to two detailed policies, on the sale of illegal or regulated goods or services and on firearms. Those policy pages were not supplied, so which goods are restricted and how is not covered here. Content that would otherwise break these rules may still stay up under the EDSA exception, which YouTube says is not a pass to break the guidelines.
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Certain goods can't be sold on YouTube. Find out what's allowed and what isn't.
Sale of illegal or regulated goods or services policies
Firearms policy
Qualifications & exceptions
Content in this category that would otherwise violate the Community Guidelines may still stay up under the EDSA exception (educational, documentary, scientific or artistic context, or public interest); the page says that exception is not a pass to violate the guidelines.
The restriction applies to "certain" goods, not to all sales.
Not stated here
Which goods are covered is not listed on this page.
The detailed rules sit in the linked policy pages, which were not supplied with this page; what each policy allows or forbids is not stated here.
Content & IP Rights · Restriction or exception
Certain misleading content with serious risk of egregious harm is not allowed, such as harmful remedies
Under "Misinformation", YouTube says certain types of misleading or deceptive content with serious risk of egregious harm are not allowed. Its examples are certain misinformation that can cause real-world harm: promoting harmful remedies or treatments, certain types of technically manipulated content, and content interfering with democratic processes. The rule is limited: it covers "certain types" of content with a serious risk of egregious harm, not all misleading content. The page names three detailed policies: misinformation, elections misinformation and medical misinformation. Those pages were not supplied. Content that would otherwise break these rules may still stay up under the EDSA exception, which YouTube says is not a pass to break the guidelines.
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Certain types of misleading or deceptive content with serious risk of egregious harm are not allowed on YouTube. This includes certain types of misinformation that can cause real-world harm, like promoting harmful remedies or treatments, certain types of technically manipulated content, or content interfering with democratic processes.
Misinformation policies
Elections misinformation policies
Medical misinformation policies
Qualifications & exceptions
Content in this category that would otherwise violate the Community Guidelines may still stay up under the EDSA exception (educational, documentary, scientific or artistic context, or public interest); the page says that exception is not a pass to violate the guidelines.
Only "certain types" of misleading or deceptive content are covered, and only those with "serious risk of egregious harm"; the page does not ban all misleading content.
Not stated here
Which types of misinformation or manipulated content are covered is set by the linked policies, not this page.
The detailed rules sit in the linked policy pages, which were not supplied with this page; what each policy allows or forbids is not stated here.