Nobody Wants To Steal, But Videos Are Better With Copywritten Content

14 June 2007 Written By: Jim KukralComments: 530 Comments2007-06-14+16%3A36%3A41Jim+Kukral

I’m not sure why I’m fascinated with YouTube and the copyright situation. I guess I am one of the millions who…

A. Completely understand why copyrights are important.
B. Don’t want to “steal” anything from anyone, ever.
C. Despite those facts, still think it’s stupid that I can’t use a song from Frank Sinatra from 1965 on a video clip I uploaded, etc…

So let me quote Chris Rock when I sympathize with people like this who make this video (below).

“I don’t agree with it… but I understand!”

This guy makes some great points. I’d like to hear Jonathan’s take over at http://www.plagiarismtoday.com/ on this.

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Jonathan Bailey

I'll talk more about it on my site later, but to give a preview here, what is inconsistent at YouTube, at least when it comes to copyright issues, is not YouTube's policies, but the detection and enforcement by copyright holders.

To use NBC as an example, YouTube only removes clips from NBC that it is told to do so. It is rarely, if ever, proactive. If NBC only reports one clip, that clip gets removed and others stay. Also, if YouTube gets a copyright complaint from someone overstepping copyright law, like with Uri, they usually do remove it though they don't have to. It's cheaper, in their mind, to blindly follow the notices rather than wrestle with potential consequences later.

Sadly YouTube's policy is inconsistent but its not really their fault, they can only do what they are told. Now, this only applies to copyright law, I'm not making any comment on their other policies.

Those they can take full credit for...