Sexual content, sex toys or '18+' in title or thumbnail
The video may not earn money on YouTube.
Last verified
What triggers it
Exposed or minimally covered sexual body parts, sexual acts even if blurred or implied, sex toys even in the background, sexualized or misleading thumbnails, '18+', '21+', 'adult only' or 'porn' in the title or thumbnail, recurring focus on cleavage or crotch, links to adult subscription sites, or guides to making synthetic sexual imagery.
What YouTube says
“Titles or thumbnails referencing adult content, such as 18+, 21+, ‘adult only,’ ‘porn,’ etc., unless it’s educational or documentary in context.”
We last checked this against YouTube's page on .
How to fix it
Use non-sexual thumbnails and titles, remove adult items from the background, and delete links to adult platforms.
Good to know
Check background objects as well as people. Non-graphic dance (including twerking), breastfeeding with a child present, and non-arousing sex education can earn ads.
Can FYProof spot it?
A full check of your video looks for it in what's shown, what's said, the words on screen and the caption. What a check finds is an estimate, not a guarantee.
- Video: looked at for this rule
- Speech: looked at for this rule
- On-screen text: looked at for this rule
- Caption: looked at for this rule
- Hashtags: not for this rule
Related YouTube rules
Platforms change their rules often. This page sums up what YouTube publishes; it isn't legal advice.