Dispute a Content ID claim

If your video got a Content ID claim, you can dispute a claim if you have a valid reason, such as:

  • Having all the necessary rights to the content in your video.
  • Using the content in a way that qualifies as a copyright exception, such as fair use.
  • Believing your video was misidentified or an error was made.
Copyright strikes are different from Content ID claims. If your channel got a copyright strike, go to the copyright strikes article to learn more.

When you dispute a Content ID claim, the person who claimed your video (the claimant) is notified. The claimant has 30 days to respond.

Before you dispute

Before you dispute a Content ID claim, you may want to learn more about public domain and copyright exceptions like fair use or fair dealing. Bear in mind that these are NOT legitimate reasons to dispute a claim:

If you don't submit a dispute, there are a few other ways to resolve a Content ID claim, such as removing the claimed content from your video.

Ultimately, YouTube can't decide whether you should dispute a claim. If you're not sure what to do, you may want to seek legal advice before you dispute.

Bear in mind that you should only dispute a claim if you're confident that you have all the necessary rights to use the claimed content. Repeated or malicious abuse of the dispute process can result in penalties against your video or channel.

Submit a dispute

To dispute a Content ID claim:

  1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
  2. From the left-hand menu, select Content .
  3. In the Videos tab, find the video with the claim that you want to dispute.
    • To find the video more easily, you can click the filter bar and then Copyright.
  4. In the Restrictions column, hover over Copyright.
  5. Click SEE DETAILS.
  6. Under the Content identified in this video section, find the relevant claim and click SELECT ACTIONS and then Dispute.
Note: You may have an option to escalate to appeal for Content ID claims that block your video. This option skips the initial dispute step and starts the dispute process with an appeal. Learn more about the escalate to appeal option.

After you dispute

After you submit a dispute, the person who claimed your video (the claimant) has 30 days to respond.

What the claimant can do
  • Release the claim: If the claimant agrees with your dispute, they can release their claim. If you were previously monetising the video, your monetisation settings will be restored automatically when all claims on your video are released. Learn more about monetisation during Content ID disputes.
  • Reinstate the claim: If the claimant believes that their claim is still valid, they can reinstate it. This means that your dispute was rejected and the claim stays on your video. You may be eligible to appeal this decision.
  • Submit a takedown request: If the claimant believes that their claim is still valid, they can submit a copyright takedown request. If the takedown request is valid, your video is removed from YouTube and your channel gets a copyright strike. Learn more about options for resolving a copyright strike.
  • Let the claim expire: If the claimant doesn't respond within 30 days, the claim on your video will expire and be released from your video.

 

Learn more about the dispute process in this video's chapter 'Dispute process for Content ID':

Content ID claims and dispute process: manage and action claims in Studio

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Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What happens if my dispute is rejected?
If your dispute is rejected, the claim will remain on your video. If you're still confident that the claim is invalid, you may be eligible to appeal the decision. Learn more about appealing a Content ID claim.
Bear in mind that the claimant can submit a copyright takedown request at any time during the dispute process. If this happens and the takedown request is valid, your video will be removed from YouTube and your channel will get a copyright strike.
Why does the claimant review both the initial dispute and the appeal?

The initial dispute and the appeal are reviewed by the claimant because YouTube can't make ownership determinations. YouTube doesn't know what content was properly licensed and can't determine what qualifies for exceptions to copyright, such as fair use or fair dealing.

The appeal step ensures a more thorough review by the claimant, because if they choose to reinstate their claim, they're required to submit a copyright takedown request (a legal process) to keep the video down. After that, if you decide to submit a counter notification, the claimant is then required to file a lawsuit to keep your video down.

What's the difference between the dispute and Escalate to Appeal options?

The initial dispute option can take up to 30 days for the claimant to respond to the dispute. If they reject your dispute, you may be able to appeal the decision. The claimant then has seven days to respond to the appeal.

The Escalate to appeal option is only available for Content ID claims that block your video. This option skips the initial dispute step, which gives the claimant 30 days to respond, and starts the process with an appeal. The claimant then has seven days to respond, so the process can be resolved faster.

If the claimant rejects your appeal, they could then submit a copyright takedown request. If the takedown request is valid, your video would be removed from YouTube and your channel would get a copyright strike. Bear in mind that you can still submit a counter notification if you're confident that a takedown request is invalid.

Can a video have more than one Content ID claim on it?
Yes, a video can have multiple Content ID claims on it. Note that a video can also have more than one takedown request on it, but can only have one copyright strike at a time.
If I don't dispute a Content ID claim, how can I resolve it?
If you choose not to dispute, there are other ways to resolve a Content ID claim, such as removing the claimed content from your video.
Can I cancel a dispute after it's been submitted?
No, once you've submitted a dispute, it can't be cancelled.

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