YouTube is a strange site that has a lot of drama attached to it. It constantly seems at war with its own content creators, which is odd since its content creators are the very lifeblood of the site.

In fact, it just mocked them for the crime of following the rules the site set for them.

The restrictions and regulations it places on video creators are mind-boggling, if money is going to be made. It must strike the correct political tone, contain no cussing, and be a certain length. Content creators drive themselves to the brink of insanity keeping these rules going, so that they can continue making their livelihood.

You’d think that YouTube would have a little more respect for its creators, but it doesn’t. The site’s Twitter feed decided to mock its own creators for attempting to play Atlas and hold up the rules given to them.

Below is the tweet YouTube released. It was up for two hours before it was deleted, after it was met with a wave of backlash. However, the internet, as they say, is forever.

It doesn’t seem like much of a tweet to anyone who isn’t a full-time YouTuber, but imagine being at a job that requires you to work overtime all the time and your job is to come up with new, creative content all the time. When burnout sets in, you can’t stop. You’re stuck on a wheel of content creation that, if it went south, would ruin your livelihood. You work long hours as a requirement to get paid by your boss.

Then your boss comes in and mocks you for working all these hours.

YouTube clearly meant it as a joke and sent the tweet in good faith.  Twitter even apologized for the tweet and reassured its content creators that they are loved…

…at least most of them are. There are a few that I’m sure YouTube wishes they could do without *cough* any conservative  *cough*

We hear you. You’re right and we apologize. Our now-deleted Tweet was intended in good faith, but we missed the mark and did not reflect the spirit of the Creator community that we love. – YouTube Social Team

— YouTube (@YouTube) October 3, 2020

Normally I would say this level of sensitivity to a tweet is just silly, and that everyone should just relax. It was only a joke. The issue here is that the sensitivity towards it is actually indicative of a problem that the site has. It requires a level of work that is not only massively exhausting but likely very unnecessary.

YouTube is trying to force its content creators to pad their stats, so it can pad the site’s click rate and time-spent-on-page. They require a 15-minute video where a four-minute video would do, if a creator wants to get paid. So, the creator has to sit and find ways to extend the time while still making the video watchable — sometimes unsuccessfully.

What’s more, it could all come crashing down if you step out of line in any way YouTube doesn’t like, and what it doesn’t like can be confusing at times.

There’s definitely an issue at YouTube… and it’s far from funny.

(READ: Rand Paul Plays YouTube Like a Fiddle Over Their Attempt to Censor Him)