YouTube’s implementing a new approach to its policy enforcement actions, by launching training courses for creators that violate specific platform policies, as opposed to applying a strike to their channel.

The new approach aims to help educate creators, as opposed to punishing them, which could help to create a more understanding and collaborative process.

Well, for users that actually take in the learnings provided, that is.

As explained by YouTube:

“Starting today, creators will have the option of taking an educational training course when they receive a Community Guidelines warning. These resources will provide new ways for creators to understand how they can avoid uploading content that violates our policies in the future. Completion of the course will lift the warning from a creator’s channel – so long as they don’t violate the same policy for 90 days.”

The last point is key. Up till now, any violating video would be removed, and a lifetime warning (strike) would be applied to the channel. YouTube will still remove violative content under this new policy, but it’ll also give creators more opportunity to clear their name, and record, in order to avoid cumulative penalties (i.e. three strikes and you’re out).  

YouTube says that it’s designed each training course to provide creators with more clarity about the type of content that violates its policies.

Again, if a creator avoids breaching the same rule for 90 days, the initial strike will be removed, but if a creator falls foul of the same rule again within that 90-day period, they will retain the penalty.

“If the creator violates the same policy after 90 days, we’ll remove the video and issue another warning. The creator will have the option of taking a new training course.”

The new approach will also implement individual warnings for each specific policy violation, as opposed to a single warning for all violations.

“This means more opportunities to learn why their content may have crossed the line, and they’ll also have the ability to take multiple learning courses at the same time.”

YouTube’s careful to note that this update does not reflect any change to its Community Guidelines or standards. The current three-strikes approach will remain, but creators will now have more opportunities to appeal and clarify, while also getting more insight into the specifics of its rules.

It’s a good approach, which looks to implement a more collaborative than punitive system, which will help more YouTube creators to better understand and interpret key platform rules.

YouTube’s three-strikes system has long been a point of contention, and this new system will provide more insight and opportunity, which seems like a better process overall.

And if creators don’t want to take the courses, or pay attention to the rules, they’ll still get punished all the same. It could also get annoying having to take the same course every three months, in the case of repeated violations, which will act as another disincentive element.

YouTube’s also shared this video explainer of the new update:

It’ll be interesting to see how the new process is applied in practice, and whether it has a significant impact on reducing channel strikes.

The new approach comes into effect from today.