YouTube video makers get help to fight takedowns
WASHINGTON — Since its inception, YouTube has been embroiled in long and bitter battles over copyright infringement. And over the years, the video site has increased its policing of pirated material. But too often, the company says, the demands of copyright holders to take down videos go too far.
Now, YouTube is taking the unusual step of financially supporting YouTube creators so they can fight back.
YouTube said Thursday that it would pick up the legal costs of a handful of video creators that the company thinks are the targets of unfair takedown demands. It said the creators it chose legally use third-party content under “fair use” provisions carved out for commentary, criticism, news and parody.
An example of fair use is a segment by TV host Stephen Colbert that rebroadcasts cable news clips for the comedian to react to.
UFO channel
Constantine Guiliotis, who goes by Dean and whose channel dedicated to debunking sightings of unidentified flying objects has just over 1,000 subscribers, is one of the video makers YouTube will de- fend. Guiliotis has received three takedown notices from copyright holders of videos that he has found online and posted to his YouTube channel, UFO Theater.
“It was very gratifying to know a company cares about fair use and to single out someone like me,” Guiliotis said.
Starting small
YouTube is starting small, initially supporting four video creators, but it said it may expand its program.
The company said it wanted to protect free speech and educate users on fair use. But its announcement is also aimed at strengthening loyalty with video creators. YouTube faces new competition from Facebook, Twitter and traditional media companies that are trying to get consumers to upload more content onto their platforms.
Fred von Lohmann, legal director for copyright at YouTube, said the number of legitimate videos affected by takedown notices was small. And big entertainment companies are not always the most aggressive in demanding that the videos be removed. But the problem is growing, said Corynne McSherry, legal director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights group.