When automation goes wrong
Over 3 billion videos are viewed a day Photo: Eva London
YouTube, a video sharing site and subsidiary of Google, has encountered multiple lawsuits and issues arising from users uploading copyrighted material including television shows, songs and music videos.
One highly publicized lawsuit was from Viacom who sued Google (owners of YouTube) for one billion dollars in damages after finding over 150,000 unauthorized clips on YouTube.
Enter the Content ID System. As defined on YouTube, the Content ID System identifies ‘user-uploaded videos comprised entirely or partially of their content and chooses, in advance, what they want to happen when those videos are found.’ This way content owners can choose to make money from these videos, get and keep up with the stats or block them from YouTube altogether.
Essentially, content owners submit YouTube reference files, of audio or video, of the content they own along with a description and what they want YouTube to do with their content if found on the site. Along with making money, tracking stats and blocking; YouTube also included the fact that the system is fully automated and the plus of fan interaction as other reasons why to use the system. This should be the end all be all answer for protect other people’s content uploaded onto YouTube right?
“It’s a good idea, because it makes it easier for people to track what of theirs is being used.” Said Lauran Carter a YouTube user.
More than 120 million videos have been claimed by Content ID Photo: Eva London
While all of this looks good in writing, unfortunately not all technology is good technology. A major issue that has appeared in recent news involving the Content ID system stems from the issue of wrongful copyright claims; mainly from big companies targeting the ‘little people’.
A popular YouTuber, Teresa Richardson, known for creating crochet tutorials had her slow motion crotchet video taken down, blocked and claimed by Warner Music Group. There was no music, artwork or graphics; just her crocheting and minimal audio. A similar thing happened to an independent rap group, After the Smoke, who had their song taken down by Universal Music Group for copyright infringement referencing a beat used in the song. The beat is owned by the rap group but an artist, Yelawolf, on one of UMG’s labels recorded an unreleased (but leaked) track over it without paying for the track.
So technically UMG does not own the beat or After the Smoke’s song, nor does WMG have the right to take down and block Richardson’s crochet video. Still these users rights have been violated. Is more action required outside of an automated system?
It’s just YouTube. People should be able showcase their talent to get noticed,” said Carter. “When it gets to a point that money should exchange hands, there should be a way for them (YouTube) to determine who the true content owner is.”
Like most automated things, the Content ID System has its flaws. While still maintaining freedom of speech and a free internet, some rules or guidelines need to be put in place on YouTube to better help the ‘little people’ and those who could easily be taken advantage of through this system.
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