Copyright Infringement, Impersonation, and Protecting Intellectual Property — What YouTube Creators Need to Know

7 min readOct 17, 2023

“The most important thing about intellectual property vs. creative expression is that copyright law was created not to stifle creativity but to encourage creativity.” — Shepard Fairey

At GigaStar we’re inspired by those brave and bold entrepreneurs known as YouTube Creators. Creating takes courage because it produces a level of vulnerability in several ways, not the least of which is the vulnerability of content.

YouTube Creators can take several measures to protect themselves from copyright infringement, impersonation, and potential loss of intellectual property. This post serves as a primer for how YouTube Creators can take steps to understand and protect themselves.

Please note that the following is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Consult with a qualified legal professional regarding individual questions or issues that may be of concern.

Protection Against Copyright Infringement

Understand Copyright Laws: Familiarize yourself with general copyright laws in your country and internationally, especially as they apply to digital content and fair use.

Review YouTube’s Copyright Policies: Understand YouTube’s copyright policies and guidelines, which can change over time. Keep up to date with any updates to these policies.

Use Original Content: Whenever possible, create and use original content in your videos, including music, images, and videos. This reduces the risk of copyright claims.

If your copyright-protected work was posted on YouTube without your authorization, you can submit a copyright removal request to request that the content be removed. Submitting a copyright removal request is a legal process.

A copyright removal request can be made through YouTube Studio.

License and Attribute: If you use someone else’s content with permission or under a license, make sure to properly attribute it and adhere to the terms of the license.

Use Royalty-Free Music and Assets: Utilize royalty-free music and Creative Commons-licensed assets that allow for commercial use. Websites like YouTube Audio Library and Creative Commons provide such resources.

Use YouTube’s Content ID System: If you own copyrighted content, consider using YouTube’s Content ID system to automatically detect and manage the use of your content by others.

Obtain Proper Licenses: If you plan to use copyrighted material that isn’t covered under fair use, obtain the necessary licenses or permissions from the copyright holders.

Fair Use and Public Domain: Learn about fair use and public domain guidelines to understand when you can use copyrighted content legally without permission.

Protection Against Impersonation

Copyright infringement and impersonation can harm your YouTube channel’s reputation and potentially lead to legal issues. Being proactive, vigilant, and staying informed about YouTube’s policies and copyright laws is crucial to safeguarding your content and identity as a Creator.

Here are some additional tips to protect yourself:

Verify Your Channel: Depending on the channel, you can apply for channel verification to display a checkmark badge next to your channel name, indicating it’s the official channel.

Secure Your Google Account: Strengthen your Google account security with a strong, unique password and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to prevent unauthorized access.

Choose Unique Usernames: Select a distinct and unique username for your channel to make it harder for impersonators to replicate.

Monitor for Impersonation: Regularly search for videos or channels that may be impersonating you or using your content without permission.

Report Impersonation: Familiarize yourself with YouTube’s impersonation policy. If you discover impersonation or unauthorized use of your content, report it to YouTube through the impersonation reporting process. Provide all necessary evidence.

Educate Your Audience: Inform your viewers about how to identify your official channel and social media profiles. Remind them to be cautious of impersonators.

Engage with Your Community: Actively engage with your viewers through comments, live streams, and social media. Building a strong connection helps your audience recognize impersonators.

Use Watermarks: Consider adding a watermark to your videos, such as your channel logo or name. This makes it harder for impersonators to reuse your content without attribution.

Secure Your Social Media: Ensure that your associated social media accounts are secure. Use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication (2FA), and monitor them for impersonation attempts.

Publicly Acknowledge Your Authentic Accounts: Periodically, in your videos or social media posts, acknowledge your authentic accounts and provide links to them. This reinforces your real online presence.

Understanding DCMA and How to File a Claim

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA) is a U.S. federal law that provides a framework for copyright owners to protect their intellectual property rights in the digital age.

DCMA protects various forms of content and its Creators by giving the content owners the ability to take legal action if they discover that their work has been stolen. This is where DMCA claims and notices come in.

A DMCA claim is a legal process used to address copyright infringement issues related to digital content, such as text, images, videos, music, and software, that are hosted on online platforms like websites, social media, or streaming services.

A DMCA notice is a content takedown request that someone files when their content has been stolen and misused. If the person on the receiving end of this notice ignores the claim — and doesn’t take down the content — the notice could quickly turn into a lawsuit.

Here’s everything you need to know about DMCA claims:

Copyright Ownership: To file a DMCA claim, you must be the copyright owner or an authorized representative of the copyright owner. This means you have exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, perform, or display the copyrighted content.

DMCA Takedown Notice: The first step in the DMCA claim process is sending a DMCA takedown notice to the online service provider (e.g., a web hosting company, social media platform, or streaming service) where the infringing content is located. This notice typically includes:

Identification of the copyrighted work
Identification of the infringing material
Contact information for the copyright owner
A statement of good faith belief that the use of the material is not authorized
A statement that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner
A physical or electronic signature

Service Provider’s Obligation: Once the service provider receives a valid DMCA takedown notice, they are legally obligated to take down or disable access to the infringing material promptly. They will also notify the user who uploaded the content of the takedown.

Counter-Notification: If the user believes their content was wrongly taken down, they may be able to file a counter-notification, explaining why they believe their content does not infringe on copyright or that they have the necessary rights to use it. The counter notification must include similar information to the original takedown notice.

Resolution: After receiving a counter-notification, the copyright owner has 10 to 14 business days (depending on the specific circumstances) to file a lawsuit against the alleged infringer. If no lawsuit is filed during this period, the service provider will typically restore the content.

Legal Consequences: False DMCA claims can have legal consequences, so it’s essential to make sure your claim is valid and accurate. Misusing the DMCA can result in liability for damages.

International Application: While the DMCA is a U.S. law, many online service providers around the world comply with its provisions. Additionally, various countries have their own laws and agreements that address copyright infringement online.

Understanding the DMCA and its requirements is crucial for both copyright owners and those who use copyrighted material online to protect their rights and avoid legal disputes. It’s important to note that the DMCA is a complex legal process, and it’s advisable to consult with legal counsel if you’re considering filing a DMCA claim or if you’ve received one.

Helping YouTube Creators Thrive

GigaStar is dedicated to helping Creators continue to do what they love. With a mission to fuel human creativity, we bring Creators and Fans together as partners in revenue-sharing securities.

Learn more at https://gigastar.io.

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