YouTube boasts an astonishing influx of approximately 3.7 million new videos uploaded daily.

While the scale of the platform offers unparalleled content diversity, it also raises concerns about the exposure of young viewers to inappropriate language due to the platform’s relative lack of regulations compared to traditional broadcasting media.

In a recent study conducted by paid media agency Distinctly, researchers delved into the content of 75 of the most prominent YouTube channels, sorted by their subscriber count, to uncover which YouTubers use explicit language the most frequently.

Topping the list as the YouTuber with the highest swearing frequency is VanossGaming, a popular gaming content creator whose real name is Evan Fong.

Fong, boasting nearly 26 million subscribers, surprisingly swears a staggering 76 times for every 1,000 words spoken on his channel. This rate is more than double that of any channel ranked below the top four and translates to approximately one swear word every 13 words. Notably, Evan Fong also dabbles in music production under the pseudonym Rynx.

Swearing frequency

Coming in at a close second place is American streamer IShowSpeed, known off-camera as Darren Watkins Jr. IShowSpeed maintains a swearing frequency of 73 instances per 1,000 words spoken in his YouTube content. Unlike many of his counterparts on the list, the majority of Speed’s content is delivered in a live-stream format, where editing to remove inappropriate language is not an option before reaching his audience.

Securing the third spot on the list is Jake Paul, a YouTuber who transitioned into the world of boxing. Paul, known for his unfiltered demeanor, averages 69 swear words for every 1,000 words spoken in his videos.

Robert Laver, Head of Paid Media at Distinctly, highlighted the implications of explicit content on YouTube, stating, “Content creators that monetize their videos and are part of the YouTube Partner Programme must adhere to a set of ‘advertiser-friendly content guidelines.’ Violations of these guidelines can result in videos being placed in a ‘limited or no ads’ monetization state.”

“Inappropriate language is the first topic listed in the guidelines, and Google categorizes this as ‘content that contains profanity or vulgarity at the start or throughout the majority of the video.’

“Occasional use is acceptable, but creators must consider whether the businesses interested in advertising on their videos find the content appropriate for their brand. There is also the option of manually excluding videos or entire channels from targeting.”

Distinctly’s methodology involved compiling a list of 75 of the largest YouTube channels, categorised by subscriber count.

The agency then gathered a selection of videos from these channels and utilized the computer processing language Python to analyse video transcripts, determining the frequency of swearing in each.

Channels aimed at young children or those featuring content from kids’ TV shows or film and TV show highlights were excluded from the rankings.