YouTube Releases Its Copyright Transparency Report

At the end of 2021, YouTube released its first Copyright Transparency Report, which, going forward, it will now release biannually. In releasing the Copyright Transparency Report, YouTube stated that its intentions were to make its copyright enforcement processes more transparent to users and stakeholders alike.

YouTube Identifies Three Tools in Copyright Transparency Report

In its materials, YouTube explained that while the rights of the owners of the protected works were paramount, YouTube still intended on improving its platform after continued complaints from YouTube users. Currently, YouTube’s copyright efforts rely on three main tools and features: 1) webform; 2) Copyright Match Tool; and 3) Content ID. 

Webform refers to YouTube’s public tool that is generally used by owners of protected works that have rather limited rights and rarely, if ever, request that infringing material be taken down. Copyright Match Tool, on the other hand, caters to those that may submit more frequent takedown requests and is reported to support over two million channels. According to the report, in the first half of 2021, over 1.6 million removal requests were received through the Copyright Match Tool. Lastly, YouTube touts its Content ID system as the tool of choice for the “most complicated” rightsholders such as music labels and movie studios.

But despite these tools, YouTube’s copyright system has long been ridiculed, and it appears, after publication of the report, that users may have been justified in their complaints.

The Usefulness of YouTube’s Infringement Tools Revealed in Transparency Report 

According to YouTube’s Copyright Transparency Report, out of 729 million total copyright claims in the first half of 2021, 2.2 million claims were found to be in the wrong and were ultimately overturned. And interestingly, despite being touted as the most advanced tool in YouTube’s arsenal, the report states that ninety-nine percent (99%) of the aforementioned faulty claims were generated by Content ID. At the same time, however, this number was a drop in the bucket as, overall, fewer than one percent (1%) of all Content ID claims were actually disputed in the first half of 2021. 

Overall, YouTube defends its platform and efforts by stating that it is responsible for unlocking a “new creative economy” that has paid more than $30 billion to content creators and more than $4 billion to the music industry with 30% of it being born from newly created content. 

Key Takeaways from YouTube’s Copyright Transparency Report

YouTube released a new Copyright Transparency Report indicating that:

• Its copyright efforts rely on three main tools and features: 1) Webform; 2) Copyright Match Tool; and 3) Content ID;

• Out of 729 million total copyright claims in the first half of 2021 submitted to YouTube, 2.2 million claims were found to be invalid and were ultimately overturned; and

• YouTube claims its platform and efforts are responsible for unlocking a “new creative economy” that has paid more than $30 billion to content creators.

For more information on copyright protection, see our Software & Copyright and Industry Focused Legal Solutions pages.