Nudity and sexual content

If a video is intended to be sexually provocative, it is less likely to be acceptable for YouTube.

What is and isn’t allowed

Sexually explicit content like pornography is not allowed. Videos containing fetish content will be removed or age-restricted depending on the severity of the act in question. In most cases, violent, graphic, or humiliating fetishes are not allowed to be shown on YouTube.

A video that contains nudity or other sexual content may be allowed if the primary purpose is educational, documentary, scientific, or artistic, and it isn’t gratuitously graphic. For example, a documentary on breast cancer would be appropriate, but posting clips out of context from the same documentary might not be. Remember that providing context in the title and description will help us and your viewers determine the primary purpose of the video.

Age-restricted content

In cases where videos do not cross the line, but still contain sexual content, we may apply an age-restriction so that only viewers over a certain age can view the content.

Videos containing nudity or dramatized sexual conduct may be age-restricted when the context is appropriately educational, documentary, scientific or artistic. Videos featuring individuals in minimal or revealing clothing may also be age-restricted if they're intended to be sexually provocative, but don't show explicit content.

What we consider when age-restricting a video
  • Whether breasts, buttocks or genitals (clothed or unclothed) are the focal point of the video;
  • Whether the video setting is sexually suggestive (e.g. a location generally associated with sexual activity, such as a bed);
  • Whether the subject is depicted in a pose that is intended to sexually arouse the viewer;
  • Whether the language used in the video is vulgar and/or lewd;
  • Whether the subject's actions in the video suggest a willingness to engage in sexual activity (e.g. kissing, provocative dancing, fondling); and
  • If a subject is minimally clothed, whether the clothing would be acceptable in appropriate public contexts (e.g. swimwear vs. lingerie).
  • Other factors include:
    • The length of time an image appears in the video
      • Fleeting vs. prolonged exposure especially relative to the overall length of the video.
    • The camera angle and focus
    • The relative clarity of the images in the video
    • The video thumbnail, please refer to our Misleading Thumbnail policy

If you wish to avoid discovering age-restricted content, consider enabling YouTube's Restricted Mode.

Reporting nudity and sexual content:

Flag the video: You may report videos that you believe violate this policy, or may not be appropriate for all ages by flagging the video.

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