Why I dislike Youtube

   I've always loved youtube. It was the opposite of television; you could express your opinions freely, you could be openly gay, and no one would bat an eye. There was nothing that couldn't be discussed or expressed, and it was a free community. Creators could make money for doing what they love (and since I would love for myself to have a career as a writer, I viewed this as amazing). It was a new, fresh approach and it accepted everyone.
   However, as most of you know, Youtube has changed again. And again, it has changed for the worse. Now, people need to avoid certain words and phrases and censor their content if they want to make the money they used to, or even in some cases even stay on Youtube. This is really upsetting to me. Of course, I won't stop watching youtube, since I love a lot of the creators on the platform, but I'm really disappointed in whoever approved this change.

   My favorite content creator, Rob Dyke, runs a true crime channel, which doesn't go along with the new "guidelines" (*cough* soft censorship *cough*) and he and a lot of other youtubers who does the same kind of content has almost completely lost their income. This makes me incredibly sad, and actually quite upset.
   And some might say things along like "oh boohoo, they don't earn the same enormous amount they used to do. Why does it make a difference?" First of all, do you have any idea how hard it is to run a youtube channel, and how much money goes in to it? You might never have considered this, but the equipment, the tours, making their merch... It all takes money. And you know... They're human, so they're probably going to need food or shelter. Most youtubers make no more than you (or if you don't have a job) your parents do.
   But what makes me the most sad and upset, is that the creator's freedom has been taken away. I feel like we should always have the right to express ourself, as long as we don't hurt others. And no, these youtubers aren't hurting anyone. If you don't like the content, don't watch it.
   Expressing yourself shouldn't mean you have to censor yourself. You should be able to be yourself without having to think about everyone else's opinions, you are an individual and you should be allowed to.