How to Avoid Copyright on YouTube as a Creator?
Learn How to Avoid Copyright on YouTube as a Creator?, navigate the potential consequences of a copyright strike, and learn best practices to ensure that you never get hit with a copyright strike again.
The right music can do for your video content what framing can do to a mediocre YouTube video. Not every song is available for use, though.
Most of the popular tracks are copyrighted, which, for those who did not know, is a law to protect someone’s art, creations, or intellectual property. Using such tracks without permission from its owner may bring up a copyright claim or strike, which sometimes can get your video removed, or even your entire channel.
Here’s how to avoid copyright on YouTube and why it’s such a big deal.
An Overview of YouTube’s Copyright Rules
Likely, you do not want anyone else to be able to download and re-post content without your knowledge or permission. Similarly, musicians and production companies do not want a song used outside of permission granted. This is why creations – including photo and video content – are protected. Under copyright law, only the song’s creator along with those who explicitly have permission may use it.
On the other hand, even though staying clear of copyright issues is always best done by using royalty-free music, sometimes this use falls under Fair Use — which allows anyone able to upload a part of a song in the right situations. A song clip may be considered to be Fair Use for commentaries, criticisms or presentations, meaning it would not be regarded as an infringement of copyright. Over-usage of a song or negative casting will not count as Fair Use, though. So if you have doubts about whether it’s ok or not, contact a representative for Fair Use.
What to Expect in Cases of Copyright Policy Violation
You might face a copyright claim against you if you upload a video containing music you do not have permission to use.
A copyright claim, on the other hand, refers to the case when YouTube’s Content ID system, the automated system scanning uploads, recognizes copyrighted music in a video. It may also refer to a removal request submitted by a rightsholder who identifies unauthorized usage of their music.
Here’s how the Content ID system works:
A record label or artist uploads songs to YouTube’s Content ID system. If someone uploads a video with one of those songs, the ID system catches and flags it, otherwise known as a copyright claim.
The uploader receives a notice about the claim. They can mute the song, edit it out of the video, or dispute the claim. If they continue to retain the song, then the company owning it can collect all the ad revenue from the video.
Screenshot of YouTube channel removal notice for copyright violation
A copyright removal request leads to a YouTube copyright strike, which is rather more severe than a claim. Here is how this works system:
A label or an artist comes to find out that his or her music is being featured within a video, whether due to private discovery or through Content ID, and then himself or herself manually files for removal request. YouTube goes on to check the validity of the given request.
If YouTube deems that there has been a violation, then the video is removed and they apply a copyright strike on the uploader’s channel. The strike automatically expires after 90 days.
YouTube copyright infringement warning message image
The only exception occurs when the material is under Fair Use. If the Content ID system mistakenly identifies a work as an unfair use, or when a copyright holder requests that a video with Fair Use be taken down, the offending channel can protest it — also known as a counter-notification.
Just remember that to file a counter-notification you must be 100% certain the video falls under Fair Use, so your argument has to be solid enough to change their mind. They have 10 business days to respond, but it’s up to YouTube in the end.
3 Mistakes You Usually Make When Avoiding Copyright Claims
Others say that YouTube will teach their content creators how to use copyrighted music on the platform, but guess what? These workarounds are not going to save you when you get claims and strikes.
Here is a list of things you don’t want to do:
Include a Disclaimer
You are being tempted to add a YouTube copyright disclaimer stating you do not want or seek to infringe. Sorry, that does not change the fact that you are still infringing; you do not have permission to use the song.
You are being tempted to add “No infringement intended” or “Copyright belongs to [insert name here] in the video description. Nothing there is going to stop YouTube or the owner from making their claim.
Changing the Tempo or Pitch of the Song
It only has a slim chance of catching and automatically flagging the video if you change the song’s pitch or tempo, but it still may. Content ID is advanced, and to top that, the music companies can most likely locate the video, hear the song, and demand its removal. The quality of the audio and the experience of viewers may be compromised as well if the editing is done by you, so this is not the best approach.
A Very Short Snippet Using a very short snippet of any song will almost certainly stay under YouTube’s radar, though it still isn’t worth it: the copyright owner might still request removal and you can easily find a royalty-free choice.
4 Ways To Avoid Copyright Troubles on YouTube
Here are the safest methods of using audio on YouTube :
Stick to Fair Use
If the perfect song is copyrighted, remember that using it for purposes of education or criticism might be Fair Use. Even if the copyright holder sues you, you have the right to defend yourself and make a case for why the video should remain up. For your purposes, you simply want to use just enough of the song to drive the point home.
The Content ID system may still notify you that the track is flagged, and you should be ready to justify why it is a Fair Use. In that situation, you would potentially have to do the whole procedure again since the claimant will demand YouTube to remove the video.
Obtain Permission from Artists or Record Labels
Most likely, newly emerging musicians will not mind allowing you the use their music in a video. Check their official site or social microblogging platform for their contacts. It may be possible that you will also have to contact their record label to ask for permission, but if they do not respond, do not lose hope.
Find Royalty-Free Music
It’s safe to say that there are countless royalty-free songs above and beyond the millions that exist and many if not all are at par with any copyrighted material. Usage of royalty-free music is still within the scope of copyright but the respective owners decide to abandon the rights and grant you a license subject to certain limitations whether in terms of subscription fee or attribution among others. Breach of those rules may invoke the same effects as the use of a song that has copyright protection.
You can also use the YouTube bank of free, usable music but look elsewhere for options on search websites like Epidemic Sound, Bensound, or AudioJungle. Be aware that some songs are paid for and others require a subscription to a royalty-free service to access tracks.
Use Original Music
You don’t have to learn an instrument or how to mix tracks to create unique music. Use Captions’ AI Music instead. All you have to do is tell the app what you want the song to sound like, and it will produce an entirely original instrumental track.
Below is how to use the AI Music tool:
Open the Captions app and choose a video.
Scroll right in the bottom bar until you find the “AI Music” icon.
Choose from over 200 different genres and themes, like “acoustic,” “hopeful”, and “nature.”
Tap “Compose music” and let the AI come up with a track for you.
Hear and tap “Apply” if you like the outcome. Tap “Cancel” and try again with an alternative group of attributes.
Write Original Music for YouTube Subtitles
A good YouTube video idea needs a great music piece to complete it. Let Captions help you out with creating a unique track for each one. You will avoid copyright issues, and upload content with unheard music that will attract viewers — which will contribute to your professional content and subscribers.
