YouTube Temporarily Demonetises Beauty Influencer James Charles
YouTube has suspended a popular influencer’s ability to make money from his videos after allegations emerged he had sent messages to boys under 18.
James Charles, who addressed the allegations in a video viewed 8.5 million times and titled ‘holding myself accountable, said he spoke with a few individuals who told him they were over 18.
In a statement by some press outlets, YouTube said it has temporarily removed Charles from its Partner Program – which is what YouTubers sign up to for the chance to make money.
A spokesperson said:
We can confirm that we had applied our creator responsibility policy and temporarily removed James Charles from the YouTube Partner Program.
YouTube’s Creator Responsibility guide states:
Remember that as YouTube creators, you should remain responsible both on and off the platform. If we see that a creator’s on- and/or off-platform behaviour harms our users, community, employees, or ecosystem, we may take action to protect the community.
The video platform’s announcement comes as another blow to make-up and beauty influencer Charles, who has 25.5 million subscribers, just days after another company distanced itself.
Over the weekend, cosmetics business Morphe announced the end of their partnership. In a statement, the company said:
In light of the recent allegations against James Charles, Morphe and James have agreed to end our business relationship and wind down sales of the Morphe x James Charles product offering. It is and has always been Morphe’s goal to create a positive, safe, and empowering space where all beauty lovers can freely share their artistry and passion for cosmetics, and Morphe is committed to furthering that goal.
At the same time, Charles posted a statement on Twitter saying he is taking time to “learn, grow, and listen” and confirmed he mutually agreed with Morphe to wind down the collaboration.
— James Charles (@jamescharles) April 17, 2021