July 31, 2025 – YouTube has recently made notable changes to its content monetization policies, drawing significant attention from creators. According to a video released by Conor Kavanagh, YouTube’s head of monetization policy experience, videos that feature strong profanity, such as the word “f*ck,” within the first seven seconds will now be eligible for full ad revenue. Previously, such videos were only able to generate “limited ad income.”
The platform’s policy shifts regarding inappropriate language have long been a focal point for content creators. In November 2022, YouTube began restricting ad revenue for videos that included profanity between the 8th and 15th seconds of playback. However, in March 2023, the company revised this rule, allowing videos with profanity in that same time frame to once again qualify for ad revenue.
Kavanagh explained that YouTube’s initial restrictions on profanity at the start of videos were aimed at aligning with broadcast standards. “Advertisers used to expect a clear separation between their ads and profane language on YouTube,” he said. Nevertheless, he noted that these expectations have evolved, with advertisers now having the ability to select content based on varying levels of profanity according to their own preferences.
While Kavanagh specifically cited “fck” as an example of “strong profanity,” he also clarified that YouTube classifies terms like “sshole” or “b*tch” as “moderate profanity.” “I think you get the idea,” he added.
Despite these changes, YouTube will continue to limit monetization for videos that use moderate or strong profanity in their titles or thumbnails. Additionally, Kavanagh emphasized that frequent use of strong profanity throughout a video remains a violation of YouTube’s ad-friendly content guidelines. He urged creators to exercise caution when deciding how often and in what context to use profane language.
