YouTube Keeps Labeling Sonic Videos ‘For Kids,’ and Creators Suffer for It
YouTube seems to have flagged Sonic fan content “for children” after the success of Sonic the Hedgehog II. This has had a significant impact on creators in the series’ fandom.
YouTube’s “for children” video has some implications for creators. This prevents these videos from being recommended by people with standard accounts, which could be interested in them. It also removes comment functionality and lowers their viewership. This issue is especially common for Sonicfan authors, since this flag is being added without consistency or communication to videos. Even though the content is clearly not suitable for children.
Two videos were labeled for children by Steven Page, the animator behind many Sonic videos at Balena Productions. This includes the teaser trailer for Sonic In Scared Stupid – The Final Chapter Teaser Trailer. It’s thrown a wrench in the channel’s plans.
Page told Fanbyte that the main reason they had for me to file a case was “whether the video included characters, celebrities or toys that appeals to children, such as animated characters or cartoon characters.” This broad statement implies that cartoons are not suitable for children. Animation is a medium and not a genre. My videos are not intended for children.
Page claims that YouTube has not communicated the specifics of the situation.
Page states, “I knew this would be another nightmare dealing with a faceless company.” YouTube doesn’t give you clear answers. “This video is intended for children,” you inquire. They give you a list covering so many things that anything can be made for children. “This video is inappropriate for our advertiser,” you inquire. They won’t tell what parts of it they don’t know. My body shutting down from anxiety has caused me to develop mild symptoms of stress.
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Page claims that within the first day, views for the affected videos fell 70%, and revenue has dropped with it. Page is primarily a voice actor but has found YouTube to be a reliable source of income. That’s now in danger.
He says, “I never meant for my channel to become a full-time job.” “But, my channel grew over time, and it was difficult not to. It was stable, it beat hustling around Hollywood looking for gigs, but I loved the community I created. My fans are the best gift of all. This issue severely impacts my colleagues and me. The entire mess has cost me a third of my income. I can’t afford to continue animating and pay my collaborators for their assets without revenue.
