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Last updated on: March 15, 2023
If you’ve ever wanted to remove someone else’s YouTube video but didn’t know how to do it, then you’re one of many in the same boat. You might want to remove a video from YouTube if it causes damage to your reputation or that of your company. This includes such things as:
Taking down someone else’s YouTube video isn’t always easy, but hopefully, we can help make the process a bit simpler.
As is stated in YouTube’s own rules, the first rule of copyright is that creators should only upload videos that they have made, which they own the copyright to or have permission to use. Therefore, it stands to reason that if a 3rd party is using your intellectual property without authorization, you are within your rights to take action. Every time your copyright is violated, this is a potential loss of precious income.
If you use YouTube to sell goods or services, somebody else using your trademark or offering lookalike products can lead to confusion and a breakdown in trust between the brand and its customers.
That is why the protection of the intellectual property is absolutely vital for every company which derives its income from producing its own, original material, whatever form that may take.
According to the latest statistics, in the first half of 2022, in excess of 754 million copyright claims were submitted to YouTube via their automatic detection system. Of these, less than half of one percent of all claims were disputed.
It is perfectly possible that you or someone you know may stumble upon a video that is using your intellectual property without permission. However, with the sheer volume of content on YouTube, it is far more likely that YouTube’s automated Content ID Tool will pick something up. It works by checking every video ever uploaded to YouTube against a database of songs and clips submitted by rights holders.
In fact, of the 5.6 million videos that were removed from YouTube in the 3rd quarter of 2022, only 307,000 were flagged by non-automated means.
If your content is matched, a note will appear on the “My Videos” page. You then need to choose what course of action to take. This would usually involve either contacting the channel directly or asking YouTube to remove the video.
Under US copyright law, simply creating a video is enough for you to own the copyright. No other documentation is needed. However, it is good practice to add a copyright logo and disclaimer somewhere in the video. In any case, if anyone reproduces or sells your original work, whether intentionally or not, then you can take them to court.
In theory, this is easy. Simply go to the “about” section in the channel, and here you will be able to find the email address of the owner, as well as their social media links.
However, if it is a business account then it could be a bit more opaque, and of course, fake accounts also exist specifically for the purpose of scamming.
Google, and by extension YouTube, have a strict privacy policy, meaning that if the owner of the channel has hidden their personal details and is not responding to your emails, you may feel like you’ve hit a dead end. However, there are online tools available that can help you if you are struggling to make contact by regular means, such as Spokeo and BeenVerified.
The first thing that you need to do if you feel that someone else’s video has infringed your rights in any way is to report it to YouTube.
Step 1
Clicking on the three dots on the bottom right just below the screen. In the dropdown menu, you will see a white flag with the word “report” next to it.
Step 2
Once you click on the flag, you will see another menu, with a list of reasons why you are reporting the video. For example “infringes my rights”.
Step 3
You will then be directed to clarify in which way you feel the content infringes your rights.
In the case of copyright infringement, you will be asked to make a copyright removal request by filling in an online form.
It is important that you categorize the nature of your complaint as accurately as possible. Is it defamation, copyright infringement, or disclosure of personal details?
YouTube gets on average 300,000 reports a day, so it is vital that any that you make look as legitimate as possible.
It is also important to note that the course of action available to you can vary from country to country. For example, in the case of defamation, in the UK you can make a request for content to be removed on this basis, whereas in the USA, YouTube does not have the power to remove content for defamation without a court order.
Once you report a video, YouTube will review the request to make sure that it contains all the necessary information to comply with the law. The review usually takes between 24 and 72 hours. In certain cases, you may receive an email from YouTube, requesting extra information about your request. As soon as the review is complete, you’ll receive an email informing you of the result.
If the video is found to have infringed your rights, then the uploader has 7 days to remove either the offending section or the whole clip, depending on the infringement. If they do not comply, YouTube will remove the content themselves, and the owner of the channel will get a “strike” against them. YouTube operates a “three strikes” policy, so someone receiving three strikes in any 90-day period will have their channel permanently removed.
Anyone receiving a “strike” for copyright infringement, must attend a mandatory session at YouTube’s Copyright Infringement School.
As well as reporting individual bits of content, you can also report a channel. Channels are also subject to the “three strikes” rule, although they can be removed for a single violation in certain circumstances. This can include severe abuse such as predatory behavior, or a channel that is clearly designed to breach community guidelines, such as obvious spam.
Red Points is a YouTube-certified multi-channel network, which can help you to protect, expand and evaluate your content on YouTube.
Through Content ID, Red Points’ Social Video Growth team helps creators to find new opportunities to monetize and protect their copyright on the platform.
With Red Points, you can control and protect your content worldwide, decide whether you want to block, monetize or track third-party content, and even distribute your ads income.
Renew your channel. Red Points helps you to create fresh, trendy, and dynamic videos to expand your audience. We can also leverage our client base to help you collaborate with creators and brands that will grow your channel’s views and revenue.
From Red Points, you will receive weekly summaries with your channel performance breakdown right to your inbox that will help you track and analyze the impact of your content.
On a monthly basis, you will also receive in-depth reports of your channel’s current performance situation, along with actionable guidelines from your Account Manager based on your audience and results.
Whether directly protecting your revenue or simply your brand’s reputation, your intellectual property is something that must be protected at all costs. If you don’t take pre-emptive action, it is something that can very quickly get out of hand, as scammers and counterfeiters across various platforms steal your content, or use your brand for malign purposes.
By taking decisive action against piracy, you strengthen trust in your brand, as well as ensure the continued high quality of goods and services offered online.
The most effective way for you to protect yourself is by investing in Red Points’ Social Video Growth software.
If you want to find out more about how to protect your channel and grow your revenue on YouTube and Facebook, contact our experts today.
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