In an effort to make the process of uploading a video and receiving advertising revenue easier, YouTube is launching a new tool called “Checks” that informs the creator in advance if the video contains copyrighted material and is in compliance with advertising guidelines.
Before Checks, creators uploaded their videos to YouTube and expected everything to go smoothly. The new feature displays uploads of copyrighted content, which can lead to removal or copyright holders claiming advertising revenue and whether the video conflicts with advertising guidelines. YouTube’s goal is to effectively reduce the amount of “yellow icons” that creators see alongside their videos, referring to the yellow dollar signs that suggest that ad revenue is being maintained because of copyright or policy issues.
This new system depends on Content ID. If YouTube’s copyright identification system finds a violation after a video has been digitized, the rights holder’s policy will automatically be applied to the video, according to the company. This can result in the video being completely blocked or monetized by the rights holders.
If the Content ID matches the content of the creator’s video with another rights holder, the YouTuber who submits that video will receive a notice through Verifications to find a way to remove that part of the video in advance. This means that videos can start generating revenue the second they are uploaded, rather than going through a claim dispute, which can impact the overall advertising revenue that a creator earns.
So, what happens if a copyright claim is found, but the creator doesn’t think he is doing something wrong? YouTube will allow creators to dispute the claim before publication. As the claims take a few days to process, YouTubers can choose to wait until the dispute is resolved before publishing or can publish the video while waiting for the final result. If the dispute finds that the creator did not use copyrighted content, the ad revenue earned during that time is paid to that person. If the dispute finds that the rights holder is correct, the ad revenue is paid to them.
YouTube is simply making it easier for creators to find – and dispute – claims in advance. It is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to ensure that creators can monetize their videos as quickly and effectively as possible. Other methods, including showing creators how changes in metadata and tags can affect post-publication revenue, are at the heart of a new Creators Insider video.