Content Theft on YouTube: Protecting Your Videos and Ideas

While content theft has always been an issue on the platform, it has been the subject of controversy quite recently, with many react channels being accused of using other people’s content without being transformative. This post will tell you what you can do if you suspect your content is being stolen.

Why Do People Steal Content?

The first question is why people steal other's YouTube content in the first place. The main reason is that the content thief wants views and clout, yet they do not want to put the effort into making their own content.

For some, it’s much easier to download someone else's work and repost it as their own. However, it's much easier than ever to figure out who's using your content through copyright check tools.

Another reason people steal content is that more prominent channels assume that if they use content from smaller channels, the owners will be honored because the more significant channel gives them exposure. This idea is further justified if the more prominent channel credits the smaller channel.

However, if the bigger channel does not add anything to the original video, many people will not even bother to check out the smaller channel. The small channel may also feel annoyed that their hard work is being used by someone else earning money.

Use the Copyright Match Tool

With billions of videos on the platform, you may wonder how to find people using your content. Luckily, Google makes it easy to find using their copyright match tool. To use this tool, visit YouTube Studio Copyright Matches.

There, you can see which videos are potentially using your content. Now, remember that just because there is a match, it doesn't mean that someone is necessarily violating your copyrights. With this tool, however, you can review the footage and decide what to do next.

You have several options when you click on a video that may be using your copyrights. You can archive the video, meaning the matching video will be sent to the archives folder for review later. You can then request the removal of the video, where you can submit a request.

Finally, you can choose to contact the channel. This option is ideal to settle the issue without affecting another person's channel.

Remember That Fair Use is Important

Just because someone is using your content doesn't mean they're violating your copyrights. Fair use is what a majority of YouTube is built on. Fair use is when someone uses a copyrighted work for commentary, criticism, education, and other justifiable reasons.

However, Not everyone who uses someone else's work can claim fair use. Here are the four factors determining whether someone somewhat uses another person's content.

1. The purpose of the use. Is the work used for nonprofit or educational reasons, or is it for profit and entertainment? A work used for profit does not necessarily exclude it from fair use, and vice versa, but it can play a part.
2. The nature. If you’re using someone’s fictional works, like critiquing a movie, you have less justification than a nonfiction work.
3. The amount used. Say someone used a small clip from your video and responded to it. This technique is a more vigorous fair-use justification than if they played your entire video without saying much.
4. The market effect. Would watching someone's video they made about you be a substitute for watching yours? If so, the person using the content has less of a fair use case.

Fair use is a complicated law, and each case is different. However, many YouTubers will look down on you if you're copyright-striking channels using their works in a transformative way. This rule applies if someone criticizes your work and you take down their video because you do not like the criticism. However, if a react channel uses your content and does not add much commentary, many people will understand if you want to take your videos down.

What if You Find Content Not Detected by the Tool?

YouTube's copyright match tools are powerful, especially as AI evolves. However, things slip through the cracks. Alternatively, some thieves will alter the video enough so that YouTube's bots do not detect it.

If you're regularly becoming a victim of theft, you may want to use the keywords associated with your content regularly. You may notice that someone has reuploaded your video or is reacting to it in a way that does not feel like fair use.

Did you find a video that is using your content? You can manually report it. You can go to the channel using your content and click More Report, represented by the three dots and the flag icon. Then, click Legal issue. You should be able to select which videos violate your copyright.

If you are filing a copyright claim, be sure that the claim is valid. You may be in trouble if you file false copyright claims. If YouTube determines that you're making false copyright claims, it may terminate your channel.

Final Thoughts

YouTube can be an excellent platform for creativity, and one way creativity thrives is if everyone creates original content or adds to someone else's videos. If people are stealing content left and right, then no one wins. Don't think that because you're small, no one will want to steal your content. Many larger channels steal smaller channel's content. Don't let them get away with it. By using YouTube's tools, you can find people who are using your videos. Then, you can review these videos. If you believe it's not fair use, you can report them. However, if the video meets all the fair use criteria, you may want to leave them be. We hope this article was helpful.

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