ByProtect Your Videos! Everything You Need To Know About the YouTube Copyright System!
YouTube creators invest a lot of time in their videos, so seeing their content blatantly stolen can be infuriating.
YouTube provides an assortment of tools to fight copyright infringement enabling creators to initiate DMCA takedowns easily and keep their content safe.
There are plenty of additional ways, apart from the help YouTube provides, to make sure your videos remain yours, and to deal with those who want to steal them.
You Created a Video and Shared It on YouTube—What Should You Know About Copyright?
In case you were wondering how to copyright your videos, you should know that, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and other U.S. copyright laws, that video falsely yours as soon as you create it.
This type of DMCA protection is a good starting point, but there are additional security measures to consider:
- You can add a copyright notice to your video—A short sentence added to the first minute of the video that includes the name of the owner and year of release
- You have the option to register the copyright for your video with the U.S. Copyright Office—The process that makes your ownership over the video a public record and ensures that the copyright lasts during your lifetime and an additional 70 years
- You can use the fact that YouTube automatically copyrights your videos when you upload them—You have to grant them the non-exclusive rights to your video. This means that while you can do with the content whatever you want, so can YouTube
What Does the Copyright Claim Mean on YouTube?
Copyright claims on YouTube are formal copyright infringement notices that any copyright owner can submit if they suspect another user stole their content.
If you submit a YouTube DMCA complaint through one of the copyright management tools on the platform, YouTube will take down the video and apply a copyright strike.
The way the copyright works on YouTube is quite effective. If a user gets three strikes within 90 days, YouTube will terminate their account and all associated channels.
How To File a Copyright Claim on YouTube
YouTube provides you with at least one copyright management tool. If you host a larger channel and regularly submit takedown requests, you can get access to additional tools.
Here is an overview of all available tools to file a copyright claim:
| Tool | Description |
| Webform | This method is available to everyone.
To use it, you have to fill out and submit a web form manually, and YouTube will remove the unauthorized content |
| Copyright Match Tool | This tool can find re-uploads of videos on YouTube. Once the tool finds matches, the original creator can contact the uploader or request from YouTube to remove the video |
| Content ID | Content ID allows copyright owners to scan videos on YouTube that use their content.
If there is a match, the copyright owner can block a video, monetize the video, or track the video viewership statistics |
Does YouTube Copyright Policy Allow You To Send a Free-Form DMCA Notice?
You can report copyright infringement to YouTube via post, mail, or email by sending a free-form copyright infringement notice.
You can choose this option when you have to manage multiple copyright issues.
Your notice should include:
- The clear subject line stating that you are sending a Copyright Infringement Notice
- Your contact information, including your name, phone number, email address, or a postal address
- A description of your work that you believe has been infringed, including a link
- A URL of each infringing video
- A good faith statement and affirmation statements which you should copy from YouTube's support page for this topic
- Physical or electronic signature
Once you draft your notice, you can send it via:
- Fax at +1 650 872 8513
- Mail to MCA Complaints, YouTube (Google LLC), 901 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA 94066, USA
- Email at copyright@youtube.com
How To Create and Send a DMCA Notice With DoNotPay
YouTube puts a lot of emphasis on their copyright policies and rules. If you decide to draft a takedown notice on your own, bear in mind that there is a lot of jargon involved and that all elements need to be present for your notice to be accepted.
There is no need to hire a lawyer because DoNotPay can take care of this for you.
Our app has been recognized by the American Bar Association Louis M. Brown Award for Access, and we will draft a professional takedown notice and send it to YouTube.
Follow these steps to take down unwanted content:
- Access DoNotPay from your
- Tap the DMCA Takedown feature
- Provide DoNotPay with the info about your content
- Post the link to the infringing video
- Post the link to your original video
- Confirm your contact info
- Click on the Sign and Submit button
Getting Around Copyright on YouTube
Assuming you are a YouTuber, you may want to know how to avoid any copyright strikes on your channel.
The basic rule would be not to use content belonging to others, but the reality is not always that simple.
Copying a Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the copyright act 1976 to the description of your video seems to be popular yet the most ineffective choice to get around music copyright laws.
Staying away from copyrighted music altogether is probably your safest choice. Companies behind popular songs have access to all the power of YouTube copyright management tools and won’t blink twice before striking your channel.
Apart from the no-copyrighted-music rule, your strongest ally in avoiding copyright infringement is the Fair Use Copyright Law, which allows creators to use parts of the copyrighted content in special circumstances.
Fair use is tricky but allowed in videos focused on:
- Commentary
- Criticism
- Research
- Teaching
- News reporting
If your channel gets struck and you use Fair use as your defense, the outcome is decided on a case-by-case basis.
Focus on Your Creative Work and Let DoNotPay Take Care of the Rest!
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Our File a Chargeback feature will ensure you get a refund from YouTube TV or YouTube Premium, and we can also help you stop getting emails from YouTube for good.
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