Maintaining a YouTube channel requires not only creating engaging content but also ensuring you comply with copyright laws. YouTube takes copyright infringement very seriously, and violations can lead to strikes, content removal, or even channel termination. Regularly checking your channel’s copyright status is crucial for staying in good standing with YouTube and avoiding potential penalties. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps to check your YouTube channel’s copyright status and understand what the different copyright notices mean.
Why Checking Your YouTube Copyright Status is Important
Before diving into the how-to, let’s understand why checking your copyright status is so important:
- Avoid Copyright Strikes: Copyright strikes are issued when a copyright owner submits a complete and valid legal takedown notice for your video. Three copyright strikes can lead to channel termination.
- Prevent Content Removal: Even without a strike, YouTube might remove videos if they detect potential copyright infringement. Regularly checking helps you identify and address these issues proactively.
- Monetization Issues: Copyright claims can affect your ability to monetize videos. If your video contains copyrighted material, the copyright holder might choose to run ads on it and receive the revenue, or block monetization altogether.
- Maintain Good Channel Standing: A clean copyright record builds trust with YouTube and your audience, ensuring the longevity and success of your channel.
- Peace of Mind: Knowing your channel is compliant allows you to focus on creating content without constantly worrying about copyright issues.
Step-by-Step Guide to Checking Your YouTube Channel’s Copyright Status
Here’s a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to check your YouTube channel’s copyright status:
Step 1: Sign in to YouTube Studio
The first step is to access YouTube Studio, the central hub for managing your channel. Here’s how:
- Go to YouTube: Open your web browser and go to www.youtube.com.
- Sign In: Click the “Sign In” button in the top right corner and enter your Google account credentials (the one associated with your YouTube channel).
- Access YouTube Studio: Once signed in, click on your profile icon in the top right corner. A dropdown menu will appear. Select “YouTube Studio” from the menu. This will take you to the YouTube Studio dashboard.
Step 2: Navigate to the Copyright Dashboard
The Copyright Dashboard is where you can find all the information about copyright claims and strikes on your channel. Here’s how to access it:
- Locate the Left Sidebar: In YouTube Studio, look for the left-hand sidebar. This menu contains various options for managing your channel.
- Find the “Copyright” Tab: Scroll down the sidebar until you find the “Copyright” tab. It’s usually represented by a copyright symbol (©). Click on it.
- Access the Copyright Dashboard: Clicking the “Copyright” tab will take you to the Copyright Dashboard. This is where you’ll see an overview of any copyright-related issues affecting your channel.
Step 3: Review Copyright Notices and Strikes
Once you’re on the Copyright Dashboard, carefully review the information presented. There are typically two main sections you’ll want to pay attention to:
- Copyright Strikes: This section displays any active copyright strikes against your channel. A strike means a copyright owner has formally notified YouTube that your video infringes their copyright. The dashboard will show the number of active strikes and their expiration dates.
- Removal Requests: This section will show videos that copyright owners have requested to be removed from YouTube due to copyright infringement.
Understanding Copyright Strikes:
- Expiration: Copyright strikes expire after 90 days, provided you complete Copyright School (more on that later).
- Consequences: One copyright strike restricts certain channel features. Two strikes result in more restrictions. Three strikes lead to channel termination, and all videos associated with the channel are removed.
- Action Required: If you believe a strike is issued in error, you can submit a counter notification (more on that below).
Step 4: Investigate Copyright Claims
Copyright claims are different from copyright strikes. A copyright claim means that a copyright owner has identified content in your video that belongs to them. This doesn’t necessarily result in a strike, but it can affect your monetization options. Here’s how to investigate claims:
- Go to the “Videos” Tab: In the left-hand sidebar of YouTube Studio, click on the “Content” tab (previously called “Videos”). This displays a list of all your uploaded videos.
- Check for Copyright Claims: Look for a “Copyright claim” notification in the “Restrictions” column for each video. If there’s a claim, the column will display “Copyright claim” instead of “None.”
- Click on “Copyright claim”: Click on the “Copyright claim” notification to see more details about the claim.
- Review Claim Details: A pop-up window will appear providing information about the claim, including:
- Content Identified: What specific content in your video is subject to the claim (e.g., a song, a movie clip).
- Copyright Owner: Who owns the copyright to the identified content.
- Impact on Video: How the claim affects your video (e.g., monetization restrictions, visibility restrictions).
- Affected Segments: The specific timestamps in your video where the copyrighted content appears.
Step 5: Take Action on Copyright Claims
Once you’ve reviewed the details of a copyright claim, you have several options:
- Do Nothing: If you agree with the claim and the impact is acceptable (e.g., the copyright owner is monetizing the video), you can choose to do nothing. The copyright owner will receive the advertising revenue from the claimed portion of your video.
- Trim Out Segment: You can use YouTube’s built-in editor to trim out the segment of your video that contains the copyrighted material. This removes the infringing content and resolves the claim. To do this:
- Click on “Select action” button.
- Select “Trim out segment”.
- Adjust the start and end points of the section to be removed based on the claimed content’s timestamps.
- Click “Continue” and then “Save”. YouTube will then process the video, removing the selected segment.
- Replace Song: If the claim is due to copyrighted music, you can replace the audio with a royalty-free song from YouTube’s Audio Library. To do this:
- Click on “Select action” button.
- Select “Replace song”.
- Choose a suitable track from the Audio Library.
- Adjust the start and end points of the replacement music if needed.
- Click “Save”.
- Mute Song: If you don’t want to remove the video segment entirely but want to avoid the copyright claim, you can mute the copyrighted audio. To do this:
- Click on “Select action” button.
- Select “Mute song”.
- You can choose to mute the entire song or only the segment where the claim exists.
- Click “Continue” and then “Save”.
- Dispute: If you believe the claim is incorrect or that you have the rights to use the content (e.g., you have a license, the use falls under fair use), you can dispute the claim. Important: Only dispute a claim if you have a valid legal basis. Filing a false dispute can lead to a copyright strike.
- Click on “Select action” button.
- Select “Dispute”.
- Choose the reason for your dispute. Common reasons include:
- I have a license or permission: You have obtained permission from the copyright owner to use the content.
- Fair use: Your use of the content falls under the fair use doctrine (e.g., for criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research).
- Original content: You created the content yourself, and the claim is incorrect.
- Public domain: The content is in the public domain and not subject to copyright.
- Provide a detailed explanation of your reason for disputing the claim.
- Check the box confirming that your dispute is based on a valid reason.
- Click “Submit”.
What happens after you dispute a claim?
- The copyright owner has 30 days to respond to your dispute.
- They can release the claim, uphold the claim, or file a copyright takedown notice (resulting in a copyright strike).
- If they don’t respond within 30 days, the claim is automatically released.
Step 6: Understand and Complete Copyright School (For Copyright Strikes)
If you receive a copyright strike, YouTube requires you to attend Copyright School. This is an educational program designed to help you understand copyright law and avoid future infringements. Here’s what you need to know:
- Access Copyright School: After receiving a copyright strike, you’ll be prompted to attend Copyright School. You can usually find a link to it in the email notification or on the Copyright Dashboard.
- Watch the Video: Copyright School typically involves watching a short video about copyright principles.
- Take the Quiz: After watching the video, you’ll need to take a short quiz to test your understanding of the material.
- Pass the Quiz: You must pass the quiz to complete Copyright School. If you fail, you can retake it.
- Strike Expiration: Completing Copyright School helps ensure that the copyright strike expires after 90 days.
Step 7: Submit a Counter Notification (If You Believe a Strike is Wrongful)
If you believe that a copyright strike has been issued in error (e.g., you have the rights to use the content, or the use falls under fair use), you can submit a counter notification. This is a legal request to have the content reinstated. However, be aware that submitting a counter notification can have legal consequences. Here’s how to do it:
- Access the Copyright Dashboard: Go to the Copyright Dashboard in YouTube Studio.
- Locate the Copyright Strike: Find the strike you want to dispute.
- Click “Actions”: Click the “Actions” button next to the strike.
- Select “Submit Counter Notification”: Choose the “Submit Counter Notification” option.
- Review the Information: Carefully read the information provided about counter notifications. Understand that the copyright owner will be notified of your counter notification and may choose to take legal action against you.
- Provide Your Information: Fill out the required information, including your name, address, and contact information.
- Explain Your Reason: Provide a detailed explanation of why you believe the strike is incorrect. Be clear and concise.
- Agree to the Terms: Check the box agreeing to YouTube’s terms and conditions for counter notifications.
- Submit: Click the “Submit” button.
What happens after you submit a counter notification?
- YouTube will forward your counter notification to the copyright owner.
- The copyright owner has 10-14 business days to provide YouTube with evidence that they have filed a court order seeking to prevent the reinstatement of the content.
- If the copyright owner doesn’t provide this evidence within the specified timeframe, YouTube will reinstate the content.
- If the copyright owner does provide the evidence, the content will remain removed.
Best Practices for Avoiding Copyright Issues on YouTube
Prevention is always better than cure. Here are some best practices to help you avoid copyright issues in the first place:
- Use Original Content: The best way to avoid copyright issues is to create your own original content. This includes your own video footage, audio recordings, and graphics.
- Obtain Permission: If you want to use someone else’s copyrighted content, obtain permission from the copyright owner. Get the permission in writing.
- Use Royalty-Free Content: There are many websites that offer royalty-free music, video footage, and graphics that you can use in your videos without having to pay royalties. YouTube’s Audio Library is a good place to start.
- Understand Fair Use: Familiarize yourself with the fair use doctrine. Fair use allows you to use copyrighted content in certain circumstances, such as for criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. However, fair use is a complex legal concept, and it’s important to understand the limitations.
- Give Credit: Even if you have permission to use copyrighted content, it’s always a good idea to give credit to the copyright owner. This shows that you respect their rights and are not trying to pass off their work as your own. Include proper attribution in your video description.
- Monitor Your Channel Regularly: Regularly check your YouTube channel’s copyright status to identify and address any potential issues proactively.
- Be Mindful of Music Use: Music is one of the most common sources of copyright claims. Be extra careful when using music in your videos. Use royalty-free music whenever possible, or obtain permission from the copyright owner.
- Use YouTube’s Editing Tools: YouTube provides tools to trim, replace, or mute audio in your videos, which can be helpful for resolving copyright claims.
Understanding Fair Use
Fair use is a legal doctrine that permits the use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder for certain purposes, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. It is a complex and nuanced area of copyright law, and its application depends on the specific facts of each case.
The Four Factors of Fair Use:
Courts typically consider the following four factors when determining whether a use is fair:
- The purpose and character of the use: Is the use transformative (i.e., does it add something new, with a different purpose or character) or is it merely a reproduction? Commercial uses are less likely to be considered fair use than non-commercial uses.
- The nature of the copyrighted work: Is the copyrighted work factual or creative? The use of factual works is more likely to be considered fair use than the use of creative works.
- The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole: Did you use only a small portion of the copyrighted work, or did you use a significant portion? Using a smaller portion is more likely to be considered fair use.
- The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work: Does your use harm the market for the copyrighted work? If your use is likely to reduce the demand for the copyrighted work, it is less likely to be considered fair use.
Examples of Fair Use:
- Criticism and Commentary: Using excerpts of a film to critique its plot or acting.
- News Reporting: Using a short clip of a news broadcast in a news report about the broadcast.
- Teaching: Distributing copies of articles to students for educational purposes.
- Parody: Using a copyrighted song to create a parody.
Disclaimer: This information about fair use is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. If you have questions about whether a particular use is fair use, you should consult with a copyright attorney.
Conclusion
Checking your YouTube channel’s copyright status is an essential part of channel management. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can stay informed about any copyright claims or strikes affecting your channel and take appropriate action to resolve them. Remember to prioritize creating original content, obtaining permission when necessary, and understanding the principles of fair use. By proactively managing your copyright compliance, you can maintain a healthy channel, avoid penalties, and focus on creating great content for your audience.
Regularly monitoring your channel and understanding copyright policies will contribute significantly to your long-term success on YouTube.