YouTubers Union collabs with Europe’s largest trade union to demand transparency

The community-based YouTubers Union has tried to fight back against YouTube in the past but has never had the power to do much. However, the union now has the support it needs to demand change.

The YouTubers Union formed last year when tensions between YouTube and its content creators exploded. However, the “union” wasn’t necessarily a union. Instead, it was a community group, not a real union. But now, its voice might finally be heard.

Teaming up with Europe’s largest trade union, the YouTubers Union laid out its list of demands to the platform. The YouTuber Union has long tried to make a difference for creators on YouTube, but it never had the power to do it. But now it’s working with IG Metall, the German Metalworker’s union. For those that aren’t familiar with IG Metall, it’s the oldest union in Germany and has covered workers in industries including electrical engineering, IT, plastics and textiles.

What is the YouTubers Union demanding?

The demands work toward better transparency and fairness for all YouTube Creators on the platform. This new joint initiative is called FairTube. Ultimately, the FairTube movement wants to pressure YouTube to be more open about its decisions and rules. Specifically, it wants more transparency about YouTube’s monetization and demonetization policies.

The issue of monetization and demonetization has been very important to creators on YouTube. Many have had their videos demonetized for unknown reasons and some lose lots of their revenue while trying to remove the elements of their video that got it demonetized. In fact, the founder of the YouTubers Union had some of his videos demonetized in the past, even though they didn’t violate YouTube’s content guidelines.

YouTube has a month to respond to the demands

The campaign is looking to examine the legality of YouTube’s policies in the European Union with IG Metall’s support. Some legal strategies the group can use include questioning whether content creators should be considered employees of the site. Additionally, the group can use Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation law to force greater transparency over personal data.

The campaign is giving YouTube until August 23rd to respond to its demands. Otherwise, it will be forced to conduct a legal examination of the site and possibly issue a call to action to fellow creators on the site.

Image courtesy portfolios.aiga.org

Sean Berry
Sean Berry
Sean Berry is Videomaker's Managing Editor.

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