This is a little too cynical for my taste. Google isn't exactly a monument of ethical business, but I seriously doubt that Google would intentionally demonetize videos for the purpose of stealing from content creators.
Perhaps a coincidence sure, but when accusations keep getting made about underhanded tactics, maybe there is somethig there
<takes_off_hat_made_of_tinfoil>
At least in Quora's case, almost everyone making thousands and getting banned right before a payout are gaming/scamming the system to make those thousands, and just play the "right before I got paid!" card whenever they get caught because, well, there _was_ another payday coming... even though they should have been demonetized a long time prior.
This whole conspiracy falls flat when Google doesn't generate revenue off of demonetized video ads.
Whether it's intentional or accidental, it's readily apparent that their incentive structure doesn't motivate them a bit to correct the situation. Also, this mechanism makes it very easy for lower level employees with a political axe to grind, to punish viewpoints they don't like.
It takes leadership that most companies no longer possess to avoid situations like this, and Wall Street enforces this behavior (see also, B Corporations).
If I spend $10,000 on an ad, is there a way to prove that I got $10,000 worth of advertising and not $8,000?
If I am a content creator and my content generated $500 in total revenue of which I have a share, is there a way to prove that it generated $500 and not $1,000?
Upper Management will never say that directly but when they keep saying we need higher revenue and lowers costs, the people working under them find ways to achieve the targets and get their bonus.
Check Wells Fargo fake accounts story.
Partially demonetized videos may show ads, but from a reduced set of advertisers - those videos will make money but possibly not as much due to less desire for the ad space on that content.