YouTube and the Adpocalypse : How Have The New YouTube Advertising Friendly Guidelines Shaped Creator Participation and Audience Engagement?

Abstract: Across 2016 and 2017, YouTube was subjected to an advertising boycott, widely known as the Adpocalypse, after a number of adverts were placed in content that promoted extremism. In response YouTube undertook a complete restructuring of their advertiser-friendly guidelines. These changes involved a number of restrictions on the content creators, who were forced to adapt or risk losing out. The changes, in turn, placed a greater emphasis on audience engagement. This thesis attempts to discover how these changes have shaped creator participation and audience engagement. Through an extensive literature review, in-depth interviews with both creators and audiences, a thorough coding process and a detailed analysis of the findings, this thesis seeks to answer the question of how have the new advertiser-friendly guidelines shaped creator participation and audience engagement. This thesis will also be looking into the conflict between the various parties involved, looking at the rise of audiences, and what these could all mean for the future of YouTube.