Copyright Takedowns & Content ID - Copyright on YouTube
If any copyright owner finds their copyright-protected content on YouTube without their authorisation, they can submit a copyright removal request, also known as a 'takedown'. If the removal request is valid, the uploader's channel gets a copyright strike.
If a copyright owner uses Content ID, which automatically scans YouTube for their copyright-protected content, a Content ID claim is applied to any content that it finds.
Copyright removal requests
Copyright law requires sites like YouTube to process copyright removal requests. A removal request must meet all the legal requirements to be valid and result in content being removed.
What happens if my content is removed because of a copyright removal request?
When your content is removed due to a copyright removal request, a copyright strike is applied to your channel.
Content ID claims
Unlike copyright removal requests, which are defined by law, Content ID is a system created by YouTube. When Content ID finds a match, it applies a Content ID claim on the matching content.
What happens if my content gets a Content ID claim?
Depending on the copyright owner's Content ID settings, Content ID claims can:
- Block content from being viewed.
- Monetise content by running ads on it and sometimes sharing revenue with the uploader.
- Track the viewership statistics on the content.
Bear in mind that any of these actions can be geography-specific. For example, a video can be monetised in one country/region and blocked or tracked in a different country/region.
When a content is tracked or monetised, it stays viewable on YouTube with the active Content ID claim on it. Usually, copyright owners choose to track or monetise videos, not block them.