Sims Channel: Help!

I was just about to make a post on this. I've had my channel for almost 12 years now, and the majority of my content is Sims related. Sims is rated T for teen, therefore not "kid friendly". One of the guidelines, however, to deciding if your video(s) are for kids is if it features animated characters. Sims is animated... but for teen and older. It's become terrifying that each video youtube decides is marked incorrectly as either for kids or not you could be fined over $40,000 (each video).

I made a post about it on my youtube channel: "This has become quite terrifying- sign the petition to prevent this from becoming reality: https://www.change.org/p/youtubers-and-viewers-unite-against-ftc-regulation


My comment on his video: I make videos with the Sims PC game series - animated characters, right? The game is rated T for Teen, though. How am I supposed to know what to do with this new law? I looked at my channel's analytics and the viewer age for my channel is people between the ages of 18 and 44. 0% of my viewers are younger than that according to my analytics. I currently have my channel set to "Not for kids" since the game isn't intended for kids, despite it being "animated". "

This video is where I got most of my information:
https://youtu.be/3GwDrHOe43E

@simskeleton thanks for posting that! I went ahead and signed.

I may be new to my channel, but I have been studying YouTube and its platform for years. I think the only real concern for channels that do not have kids content is YouTube's implemented algorithm which will "auto-detect" content seemingly made for kids. I feel that the move is exclusively to save the company. For creators who make kids content and profit from it, they will lose ad-revenue and will be forced to go to other sources (e.g. Patreon). I don't think the suing will apply to growing creators unless they are a persistent violator of COPPA, first targeting larger channels.

For a game like The Sims, go with what the legal terms are. The Sims is and always has been defined as a T for Teen game (see complete video game ratings here), meaning it is rated for 13-year-olds or older only. That's it. If a court were to try to fine you for one of those videos, that clearly wouldn't make any sense as the source material is unable to even qualify as kids content.

As for thinking of whether or not to use YouTube, you should know that in 2018 Facebook and YouTube were two of the most used platforms across the U.S. and that video content is only growing across social platforms. YouTube may have had to make this controversial move as a result of their settlement but that does not predict the platform's usage in the future. YouTube is not going away anytime soon.

I know that no one has commented or anything, but I just wanted to add that YouTube added a comment on its video about COPPA that has FAQs. I'm not sure how helpful they are, but the video link is here for reference.

"zanyshane;c-17322999" wrote:
I know that no one has commented or anything, but I just wanted to add that YouTube added a comment on its video about COPPA that has FAQs. I'm not sure how helpful they are, but the video link is here for reference.

Thanks for your comment. I read the FAQ they have in the description and it's still not completely clear. I have made a "Pokemon in the Sims 2" video and a "Minecraft in the Sims 2" video in the past... which could go both ways since the game is T for teen but Pokemon and Minecraft is "attractive" to kids. So those kinds of videos are a bit complex. I also have some videos of my dogs on my channel, and I read somewhere that pets are considered kids content, so those are the only videos I currently have marked for kids. I understand them targeting bigger youtubers first, but what does that mean for when they reach the smaller youtubers? Do they only target people who monetize their videos? I don't monetize at all since my channel is small and it seems like a hassle to set it up for only cents to a few dollars per month possibly. I could never see youtube as a source of income especially since it's so unstable as of lately, constantly changing its ways. Making videos with Sims is one of my biggest hobbies I do for fun, and it will be sad if that has to end.

"simskeleton;c-17323010" wrote:

"zanyshane;c-17322999" wrote:
I know that no one has commented or anything, but I just wanted to add that YouTube added a comment on its video about COPPA that has FAQs. I'm not sure how helpful they are, but the video link is here for reference.

Thanks for your comment. I read the FAQ they have in the description and it's still not completely clear. I have made a "Pokemon in the Sims 2" video and a "Minecraft in the Sims 2" video in the past... which could go both ways since the game is T for teen but Pokemon and Minecraft is "attractive" to kids. So those kinds of videos are a bit complex. I also have some videos of my dogs on my channel, and I read somewhere that pets are considered kids content, so those are the only videos I currently have marked for kids. I understand them targeting bigger youtubers first, but what does that mean for when they reach the smaller youtubers? Do they only target people who monetize their videos? I don't monetize at all since my channel is small and it seems like a hassle to set it up for only cents to a few dollars per month possibly. I could never see youtube as a source of income especially since it's so unstable as of lately, constantly changing its ways. Making videos with Sims is one of my biggest hobbies I do for fun, and it will be sad if that has to end.

Then, I would focus on the attributes of your videos that cause a potential audience to click. For example, does your title, description, and video thumbnail appeal to kids? If the answer is no, I think you can safely say it is not for kids. That's why I strongly believe gaming content will be okay, especially after they work out the first issues that arise in January 2020. As they stated in this comment (cut short) of their FAQ:

Q: Does this impact Minecraft or gaming videos? / Should gaming content be marked as “Made for Kids”?
While different games appeal to different audiences, think about whether the content you’ve created, itself, is directed towards kids, not just the audience of the game you’re playing in a video, alone. Remember: COPPA applies to all videos on YouTube, including gaming content.

I would argue against the notion that pets is kids content. Perhaps, pets are often kids content, but YouTube mentions in that FAQ that having one of the qualities of "kids content" does not mean it is kids content. Look at this quotation linked here in their help section, especially the bolded part.

As the creator, you know your content best. If you intended to reach a kid audience, it’s likely that your video is made for kids. If you’re not sure about your audience, take a look at the features of your video - does it have actors, characters, activities, games, songs, or stories that kids are particularly attracted to? If so, your video may be directed to kids. The key is to balance all the COPPA specified factors that apply to this analysis. For example, the fact that a kid is featured in a video does not necessarily mean that the video is made for kids. You will have to look at all other attributes of the video like the intended audience, whether the video uses language that is intended for kids to understand, and the subject matter of the video (a medical video versus a play video). For further information on whether content is kid-directed, see the FTC’s guidance. You should also consider consulting a lawyer if you aren’t sure whether your content should be designated as made for kids.

@simskeleton I don't think you'll have to worry too much about your videos! I think these questions will be cleared up sooner than you think. :) Let's keep on simming with our videos.

I hope so! Thank you!

Just an update, the same guy posted a new video that makes things a little more clear:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwnvjuCTb54

Thank you, @simskeleton for posting those videos. I don't talk lawyerese very well, but I noticed that he commented in his first video that he's a lawyer geared specifically at videos on social media and HE even had trouble understanding these extremely sketchy laws.

@zanyshane I sincerely hope they change the laws their trying to enforce before they go into effect, but I sincerely believe YT will fold if they don't stand up and start taking care of their content creators rather than laying down, essentially giving up, and letting content creators be attacked. Maybe not immediately, but eventually. In the meantime, you may be making content geared to teen and up, but if the FTC claims its "kids' content" any way, they can fine you in contempt and you can be charged $42,530. The problem with not concisely clarifying the law is that they can claim ANY ONE is in contempt and charge them. I don't know about you, but I don't have a money tree growing in my yard! It makes one wonder if YouTube is even worth it any more. And I'm not the only one whose thought this. So, yes. YT is most definitely in danger of folding. Especially after these changes take effect.

I signed the petition some time ago. I *hope* (fingers crossed) the efforts succeed, but I am seriously concerned about YT's viability as a platform. I'd rather switch to another platform before it becomes an issue. What other platforms are available?

So sorry it took me so long to respond again! With the holidays, it's been a bit crazy.