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How do YouTube copyright strikes work?
Don't blame YouTube! Well, not entirely anyway. You may not be aware that all YouTube copyright management measures actually require the copyright holder themselves to act. YouTube's algorithms may help flag up potential violations, but the author has to choose to submit a takedown request.
A strike is given when YouTube deems a takedown request to be valid. Your video is removed from the platform and – if it's your first time – you are required to watch an educational video and answer questions on it. You can appeal to YouTube or to the copyright holder, or otherwise wait 90 days for your strike to be wiped.
If you have three active copyright strikes, it's all over: Your account is shut down and your videos deleted.
In fact, use of the system is only granted to creators who "own exclusive rights to a substantial body of original material that is frequently uploaded to YouTube," who "have an advanced understanding of copyright," and who have the "resources" to manage "complex controls." And it's those users who will choose whether or not to issue a takedown request.
For those who may be less able to prove themselves to YouTube, the platform offers two other systems, which help authors looks for copies of their work that appear on existing or deleted videos: the Copyright Match Tool for individual issues and the Content Verification Program for multiple violations.
A strike is given when YouTube deems a takedown request to be valid. Your video is removed from the platform and – if it's your first time – you are required to watch an educational video and answer questions on it. You can appeal to YouTube or to the copyright holder, or otherwise wait 90 days for your strike to be wiped.
If you have three active copyright strikes, it's all over: Your account is shut down and your videos deleted.
ContentID and friends
People discussing copyright strikes often mention YouTube's Content ID system, and you could be forgiven for thinking that its algorithms automatically flag up anything that could be remotely considered to be a copyright violation – and frequently get it wrong.In fact, use of the system is only granted to creators who "own exclusive rights to a substantial body of original material that is frequently uploaded to YouTube," who "have an advanced understanding of copyright," and who have the "resources" to manage "complex controls." And it's those users who will choose whether or not to issue a takedown request.
For those who may be less able to prove themselves to YouTube, the platform offers two other systems, which help authors looks for copies of their work that appear on existing or deleted videos: the Copyright Match Tool for individual issues and the Content Verification Program for multiple violations.