On Thursday, YouTubers were waking up to emails from YouTube telling them that their channels no longer met the criteria for verification. The email went like: “YouTube will now proactively verify channels that represent a well-known or highly searched creator, artist or public figure.”
Most established creators were upset and got vocal.
Emails from YT make people nervous. pic.twitter.com/t1aQQyZAKt
— Michael Kukielka (@DetroitBORG) September 19, 2019
Wtf @YouTube pic.twitter.com/WEmKNGf8Lv
— Brian Brushwood (@shwood) September 19, 2019
YouTube deciding to unverify a bunch of creators today pic.twitter.com/V2C9bTLZCR
— Ryan George (@theryangeorge) September 19, 2019
too thicc 2 b verified pic.twitter.com/TpVq7fxIB5
— jarvis johnson (@jarvis) September 19, 2019
youtube just unverified me and all of my boys pic.twitter.com/ORQB3o3KBC
— Eddy Burback (@eddyburback) September 19, 2019
Some still have the verified checkmark
Even controversial channels retained their checkmarks.
Weirdly, YouTube removed their checkmark
The giant video sharing platform announced that they were revising its verification process and informed established creators that they will soon lose their verification checkmarks.
https://twitter.com/GameCubeDude100/status/1174754203341938689
What is happening
According to its current system, YouTube allowed creators with more than 100,000 subscribers to be verified. With its new and revised verification process, the platform is changing who it verifies and why meaning it will now focus its verification efforts on established channels who have a “clear need for proof of authenticity” according to the blog post.
man this platform really sucks pic.twitter.com/zQxecqB1l1
— Jamie Pine (@jamiepine) September 19, 2019
This criterion targets artists, comedians, musicians, traditional YouTubers among others.
No hate, just curious – I wonder how many traditional celebrities lost their verification badge on YouTube versus large creators who have been on for 6+ years?
— Jared Mecham (@jaredmecham) September 19, 2019
https://twitter.com/TaylorLorenz/status/1174777889834881026
I got unverified from @YouTube because Of their new update and I don’t fit the criteria? I have over 2 million subscribers and get 15-20 million views a month.
Can someone explain or help me? @Fwiz pic.twitter.com/IbtnlIiKvV
— kiwiz (@Kiwiz) September 19, 2019
Just got an email from @YouTube saying they are removing my verification badge on YouTube. They’re saying only creators that are well known and have a large following can be verified. UM I have 1.4 million subscribers and I’ve been doing this for 5 years!? Excuse me I’m confused
— Jessii Vee 🖤 (@JessiiVee) September 19, 2019
Importance of verification to YouTubers
Most YouTubers got vocal as them being unverified is offensive considering the number of years they’ve dedicated their lives to growing their channels.
.@YouTube unverified my channel today, to be implemented in October. I know it’s just a meaningless check mark, but that’s not what it felt like. It felt like the work, heart, and soul I put into my videos was being validated by the platform I love.
— Emilia Fart (@emiliafart) September 19, 2019
https://twitter.com/lifewithmak2005/status/1174752679874068481
Also, their comments(made by unverified YouTuber) would never prominently show up on other videos and will make it harder for YouTubers to network as that verified checkmark legitimizes their channel.
I don’t care about the validation of a check mark, but I’ve been able to make a lot of friendships with other creators because we get notifications when another verified channel comments on our videos.
— Sierra Schultzzie (@Schultzzie) September 19, 2019
YouTube said the new process will make channel verification more consistent for users and creators across YouTube and come into effect in late October.
Youtube. Not everyone in your God Forsaken website has to be a fucking celebrity. They are just people who want to make videos for entertainment. Everytime you do this; you drive away more and more people away with nowhere else to go.
— SpoodyDood🔞 (COMMS CLOSED) (@SpoodyD) September 19, 2019
This means YouTube will be in charge of verification from their end and if you’re a channel that meets these strict requirements you get automatically verified hence no need to apply.
An artist’s icon will be replaced with the same grey background that other verified YouTube creators will have.
YouTube: "We're making it easier to spot your favorite creators!"
*Takes verification away from everyone* pic.twitter.com/lQezE5E9zh
— Chadtronic (@Chadtronic) September 19, 2019
YouTube yanking away "verified" status for so many established creators is so wild to me. It has functionally very little impact on a channel's ability to operate but just feels like such a needless and mean-spirited way to treat people who have been on your platform for years.
— Ryan Letourneau (@Northernlion) September 19, 2019
https://twitter.com/NetHistorian/status/1174758824101548032
This is an extremely out of touch decision by @TeamYouTube. It SHOULD be EASY to know when you’ve found the OFFICIAL YouTube channel of a creator! So why, WHY, why the heck would you make it HARDER for channels to verify themselves? How does this help the viewer? What the heck? https://t.co/9WASOBRv5z
— Marriland (@Marriland) September 19, 2019
https://twitter.com/Therumpokid2/status/1174751894687731712
us: hey youtube, take dangerous abusers off your platform
us: also fix ur notification system so people always know when there’s new content up
us: and pls stop demonetizing videos for no good reason
youtube: update! we have decided to take away everyone’s verification badges
— Taylor Nicole Dean (@taylorndean) September 19, 2019
Clarifications
To calm the chaos it created, YouTube issued some clarifications. They say that no creator lost their verification and that the emails it was sending were to notify creators and inform them that they can appeal.
Some already did.
Ditto. I appealed.https://t.co/9U9L0we56q
— Alex Howard (@digiphile) September 19, 2019
YouTube notes that it will soon be bringing the verified checkmark to YouTube mobile channel pages.
i feel like youtube’s picked their favorite creators and is just leaving everyone else behind
— anı (@kinganiii) September 19, 2019
I’m really sorry to the creators who are being unverified on @YouTube today. This decision is really pointless and it’s yet another change not a single person asked for 😐 PLEASE know that you are still valid as a creator and I hope that a stupid checkmark doesn’t discourage you!
— James Charles (@jamescharles) September 19, 2019
YouTube also adds that every creator on its platform is important to them whether they’re verified or not.
It wasn’t received so well.
You're telling us this on a platform where those same "important" YouTubers are telling you it's going against their wishes, since verification check marks literally already did this for many people.
But yo, thanks for looking out 👌
— AntDude (@antdude92) September 19, 2019
"You're important to part of youtube, but there are more important channels than others."
Straight out of an Orwellian novel.— Gueltario Tumafletas (@Gueltario) September 19, 2019
Other creators aren’t concerned
I am actually happy they are removing YouTube verified status because I never been verified and been uploading youtube videos for 13 years. Yeah, they give a fuck anyways. I dont give a fuck either its a stupid badge just like college degree is a stupid piece of paper.
— Dr. E (BigMac McNiners Lee) (@zedomax) September 19, 2019
