YouTube Fan Channels Must Include Disclosure in Channel Name or Handle
Starting August 21st, individuals who operate fan accounts on YouTube will be required to explicitly state that their channels are not associated with the original artist, creator, or brand. Simply including “fan account” in the channel description will not suffice, and if it is not already apparent from the channel name or handle, the information must be updated.
The directive was announced as part of broader changes to YouTube’s impersonation guidelines. As TechCrunch points out, channels that claim to be fan accounts but instead mimic another channel and upload the same content are banned, as are channels that look almost identical to others with only a slight name change (such as adding a space). Users may not comment on videos while impersonating another person, and may not impersonate an existing news channel.
These new guidelines for fan accounts should help YouTube fight copycats. “This update should also ensure that viewers aren’t misled about the channels they interact with and follow, and creators aren’t used for malicious purposes,” a YouTube blog post reads.
