How You Like That "BlackPink" - (Official Music Video)
Copyright claims and the effect they have on your ability to monetize your content on YouTube is one of the most asked questions we receive at vidIQ. And I think the reason for that is because YouTube itself doesn’t provide a definitive answer.
Also, if you apply for the YouTube Partner Program and are rejected, YouTube doesn’t give you a thorough enough explanation as to why which also adds to the confusion, if in fact, you do have a strike or claim against one of your videos.
When a creator uses content without the permission of the owner of that content, the creator runs the risk of violating copyright laws.
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Now, fair use aside (read more about that defence in the expert's guide to fair use & copyright on YouTube), let's just say you are guilty of using another person's work. YouTube handles this in two different ways: copyright claims and copyright strikes.
Copyright Claims & YouTube
When you receive a copyright claim, YouTube, as a third party, is basically saying that you the creator, can use the copyright owner’s content, but the owner of that copyrighted content has the right to place adverts on your video and earn income from it.
In this case, you the creator are not punished for uploading the content that doesn’t belong to you, but you won’t generate any revenue from that upload.
Copyright Strikes & YouTube
A copyright claim is a lot better than receiving a copyright strike. A strike means the owner of the I.P. you are using (whether that’s a video clip, an image, or audio) isn't playing ball at all. If the owner asserts their rights to their own content, your video will be removed from your channel and you will also receive a copyright strike.
Three copyright strikes and your channel will be terminated. And it might not end there either. In extreme cases, you could find yourself in legal hot water and have to defend yourself in court.
Copyright laws are complicated. To quickly get up to speed on the basics, take time to watch the video below. It’s old in YouTube years but is still one of the very best explanations we’ve seen on the subject:
There are a few more things to clarify. Your channel doesn’t have to be monetized in order to receive copyright claims and copyright strikes.
Even if you have zero subscribers, zero views and it's your very first video, if you have used copyrighted content belongs to another creator, you could get a claim or a strike.
Also, there is no guidebook or directory that's going to tell you whether or not you will get a copyright claim or a copyright strike. You need to use your common sense.
YouTube Copyright Rules & Monetization
The YouTube copyright system isn't something that you can hack, and it's not a game to be played with. If your mindset is, I know the risks, I'm going to use somebody else’s content anyway because I just want to monetize some of mine, then you're probably going to run into problems.
Having said that, there are many creators who’ve probably use copyrighted content unintentionally and now they're worried about whether or not their entire channel is going to be affected when it comes to applying for monetization. So let's look at what YouTube does tell us about applying for the YouTube Partner Program:
The first one being the review process. If you just needed 1000 subscribers and 4000 hours of Watch Time, all of this will be very simple. But to monetize your channel, you also need to comply with YouTube's community guidelines, Terms of Service, copyright guidelines, and Google's ad policies.
Also, if you apply for the YouTube Partner Program and are rejected, YouTube doesn’t give you a thorough enough explanation as to why which also adds to the confusion, if in fact, you do have a strike or claim against one of your videos.
When a creator uses content without the permission of the owner of that content, the creator runs the risk of violating copyright laws.
Ready to grow your YouTube channel?
It's FREE to get started
Sign Up for FREE
Now, fair use aside (read more about that defence in the expert's guide to fair use & copyright on YouTube), let's just say you are guilty of using another person's work. YouTube handles this in two different ways: copyright claims and copyright strikes.
Copyright Claims & YouTube
When you receive a copyright claim, YouTube, as a third party, is basically saying that you the creator, can use the copyright owner’s content, but the owner of that copyrighted content has the right to place adverts on your video and earn income from it.
In this case, you the creator are not punished for uploading the content that doesn’t belong to you, but you won’t generate any revenue from that upload.
Copyright Strikes & YouTube
A copyright claim is a lot better than receiving a copyright strike. A strike means the owner of the I.P. you are using (whether that’s a video clip, an image, or audio) isn't playing ball at all. If the owner asserts their rights to their own content, your video will be removed from your channel and you will also receive a copyright strike.
Three copyright strikes and your channel will be terminated. And it might not end there either. In extreme cases, you could find yourself in legal hot water and have to defend yourself in court.
Copyright laws are complicated. To quickly get up to speed on the basics, take time to watch the video below. It’s old in YouTube years but is still one of the very best explanations we’ve seen on the subject:
There are a few more things to clarify. Your channel doesn’t have to be monetized in order to receive copyright claims and copyright strikes.
Even if you have zero subscribers, zero views and it's your very first video, if you have used copyrighted content belongs to another creator, you could get a claim or a strike.
Also, there is no guidebook or directory that's going to tell you whether or not you will get a copyright claim or a copyright strike. You need to use your common sense.
YouTube Copyright Rules & Monetization
The YouTube copyright system isn't something that you can hack, and it's not a game to be played with. If your mindset is, I know the risks, I'm going to use somebody else’s content anyway because I just want to monetize some of mine, then you're probably going to run into problems.
Having said that, there are many creators who’ve probably use copyrighted content unintentionally and now they're worried about whether or not their entire channel is going to be affected when it comes to applying for monetization. So let's look at what YouTube does tell us about applying for the YouTube Partner Program:
The first one being the review process. If you just needed 1000 subscribers and 4000 hours of Watch Time, all of this will be very simple. But to monetize your channel, you also need to comply with YouTube's community guidelines, Terms of Service, copyright guidelines, and Google's ad policies.
