18. What are the copyright rules for YouTube videos?

 

If you are uploading or downloading videos to or from YouTube in the UK, then UK copyright laws apply. YouTube is a platform for video sharing online and it is the users who are responsible for complying with the laws of copyright.

If you upload a video that is infringing someone’s copyright, the owner of that copyright can inform YouTube, who will then send you a warning and remove the video. If the video has been incorrectly removed because you benefit from a copyright exception, you can send a ‘Counter Notification’ to request for the video to be reinstated. You can find the webform for this in the Copyright Notices section of your YouTube account. When you submit this form, YouTube will forward it to the copyright owner who made the original claim of infringement, along with your personal information.

In some instances, the copyright holder may allow the video to remain on YouTube if you agree to let them show an advert at the beginning.

The user policy for YouTube is that after three copyright infringement warnings the user’s account is suspended.

See: YouTube terms and conditions

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