YouTube is the largest video platform in the world and creators are an emerging threat to legacy media corporations. Ironically, instead of leveraging their creators against other mediums of entertainment, YouTube has given legacy media favorable treatment on its platform. The way that copyright works on YouTube eventually boils down to court action over copyright disputes. But the process in order to get there is rife with flaws that hurt independent creators.
Recently CBS News filed fraudulent copyright claims in order to remove Christian YouTube channels who reported and commented on Bart Barber’s 60 Minute interview. When uploading a video to YouTube, it gets run through an algorithm that content IDs the upload prior to publish. However, manual claims can be filed. Such channels with manual claims filed against them include Evangelical Dark Web and Conversations That Matter.
Exceptions to copyright include fair use in which a copyright can be violated so long as the new content is transformative in nature. A standard commentary video is transformative in nature. While YouTube allows for appeals, it also removed videos in which CBS knowingly filed fraudulent reports.
Whereas Jon Harris was able to get his video back up in short order, Evangelical Dark Web waited over 72 hours and had to content YouTube support for the restoration of the video. For the record, YouTube support was quite helpful in the matter.
Nonetheless, this is just one drop in the bucket in which legacy media abuses a flawed process in order to shut down dissenting or competing voices.
