For the past few weeks, I've been going back and forth with YouTube defending my right to commercially use the content in my playthroughs I have been uploading. I have shown proof for both the video and audio portions of my video, but they still are demanding that I get signed permission by both Monstercat and Activision/Blizzard. I have tried to do this, but Monstercat hasn't responded yet and I just plain out can't get a hold of the legal department of Activison. I have asked Blizzard who sent me to Activision Support on twitter who then told me they don't have an email (or anything for that matter) to give me, but that I'd need to get in touch with the legal department. So finally I had to email YouTube back stating that I can't supply these signed documents to them and they politely told me that they will now reject monetization on all my playthroughs.

Anyone else have any sob stories about their recent interactions with YouTube?
More importantly does anyone have any advice how to fight back against this media giant :( I'm just 1 guy who wants to post videos on YouTube and make a couple bucks in the process.

Edit: Also for people who are new to YouTubing like me I found this link very helpful, but be careful because YouTube still wants you to ask these companies for permission.

10 years ago*

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They screw with people's privacy and they sell every info they gather about you to other companies. That's my issue with them.

As to advices, just contact a customer's association.

10 years ago
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Unfortunately if they ask, you need give proof of permission. Our channel got this from many of the major companies before we started putting up content but I think Blizzard/Activision and EA either never got back to us or said no, so we don't upload gameplay of their games.

Most people are really happy for you to do so as it's pretty much free advertising but some just don't get it.

Keep chasing them up, but maybe you have to take down the videos for now?

Edit: maybe you can say, they haven't filed a breach or copyright issue so they can't do anything? It all comes down to Youtube's policys

10 years ago
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If you look at my edit you can go to that link and it shows most companies views on it. Activision/Blizzard supposedly say it is okay, but I don't know who to email asking for permission. As for EA they told someone:
"EA advised me through email that they do not give out blanket permission, but they have worked with YouTube directly and generally don't mind fair use of their material even on commercialized YouTube channels."
so they're iffy.

Edit: I overlooked this when I first read your post so I'm glad I reread it. I like that idea to ask all the companies before posting videos to see who says yay or nay. I think I'm going to take a break from YouTube and goes this route and when I get word back from all the companies I'll start uploading my content again.

10 years ago
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as to filing copyright issues, it is not necessary, they can and have take down any content even if IMAA, RIAA etc haven't complained about anything.

10 years ago
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There was a company who couldn't monetize video of a game they developed, because YouTube refused to recognize that fact unless they gave them papers that gave them express permission to use their own content...

10 years ago
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I feel like this is way too ridiculous especially in that example. Why should I have to bother these huge companies who probably don't have the time to get back to me when they post on their website that it is perfectly okay to commercially use their content on YouTube?

10 years ago
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The real answer is that the NMPA sued YouTube for supposedly not doing enough to prevent copyright infringement and the end consequence of that is anyone and everyone who isn't part of a major music/movie/game label gets screwed. Did you hear about the guy who's video got claimed for a public domain song by another company that made their own version of said public domain song?

It's ridiculous, and it's entirely YouTube's fault for bending over to the ridiculous whines of a set of businesses who are being dragged kicking and screaming into the digital age.

10 years ago
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I can't believe its getting that bad. It's getting as ridiculous as the actual courts. The guy who won that case for breaking into someones house, breaking his leg in the process, then suing the owner and winning.

10 years ago
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My main youtube channel is getting strikes for a completely different youtube channel I made when I was 16.... and I have no way to disconnect the two channels and I have no way to delete the other channel. Additionally, there is no way to contact youtube about it because they make enough money where problems like this doesn't matter. Until they start to lose too much money, there wont be any change for the best. I do not care anymore, I use my channel for subscriptions and they made it too impossible to upload videos in modern quality to make me say otherwise.

10 years ago
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That's pretty shitty. I know your pain to an extent. I accidentally made like 3 YouTube accounts on my main one because I didn't understand what I was doing :p

10 years ago
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What was shitty is I gave them the same email address for back in the day when Youtube didn't connect channels, but then when I realized what was going on I attempted to disconnect them by giving them completely different emails. Unfortunately, this caused the issue of me losing the channel since I have no clue what the password is to the channel- which I already mentioned is the issue above. :) Oh well, my channel served its purpose- both of them. Main channel gave me some self esteem and the other made me feel less alone during my teen years (only a little, it would be weird if they did it a lot xD)

10 years ago
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"More importantly does anyone have any advice how to fight back against this media giant"

Yes. Put your videos on a competing website instead.

10 years ago
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^this

10 years ago
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My account was permanently disabled after receiving an email regarding one of my videos being reported and blocked. The email said I'd get a warning on my account, which was a lie because my account was now suspended.

Wanna know what the video was?

I was showing how to host a Garry's mod server using the software from srcds.com and a program of my own.

10 years ago
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If you own the program.. show them proof of it.

It could be the people behind Garry's Mod or something else in the video that got it reported. Could be all kinds of things really.

10 years ago
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10 years ago
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regardless, the srcds.com software is not made by garry, but by Valve Corporation.

10 years ago
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Yeah I am aware of the fact that youtube has no right to suspend my account.

The best part is, that I can't fight back. They didn't tell me why they suspended my account and I can't send out any help ticket or anything, because their system claims "There is already a request please wait till that one is answered".

10 years ago
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If its for Starcraft, I believe Blizzard has a blanket statement saying that anyone can.. not 100% sure though. You might want to look at their stuff and perhaps ask a few people who do casts... if its something other than that.. I have no clue.

10 years ago
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I've heard that for Diablo 3, but I think Starcraft would be an equivalent game for that purpose.

10 years ago
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Well if you think about it, indeed the video belongs to you because you made it, but in order to make that video you use non-free products made by other companies,and for that you need permission in order to use them in your video. In a way this is bullshit because you are making the companies (Blizzard, EA, etc) free commercial because people may watch your video and say "Woow, that's a really nice game, i may buy it", but Google doesn't see it like this. It's simple, you didn't make that product so in order to use any video about that product you need aproval from the companies that made it.

10 years ago
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Yeah, the creator of VVVVVV and Super Hexagon, Terry Cavanagh received disputes on his own trailers. I've received a claim on a public domain song used in a short film.

Everyone is getting hit with them and Youtube doesn't seem to care, start looking for an alternative as things aren't looking good.

10 years ago
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This comment was deleted 1 year ago.

10 years ago
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The Fundamental Rule

First and foremost, note that except as specifically provided herein, Blizzard Entertainment requires that the use of Blizzard Content must be limited to non-commercial purposes.

that's what I get when I go to your video link (http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/company/legal/videopolicy.html)

Maybe you could contact them on the email community-videos@blizzard.com

10 years ago
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Fuck YouTube! Sony couldn't add a freakin video capture device to the PS Vita, and in my LP's I use a camera to record my gameplay. And since the PS Vita and Sony logos are visible on the PSV, this f*ckin content ID wants to claim it.

10 years ago
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Its called daily motion or any other tube alternative, GO AWAY FROM YOUTUBE let them rot

10 years ago
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I only got 1 content id claim out of 360 videos.

10 years ago
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Got a lot of problems for my Anodyne and The Walking Dead let's plays, some korean company was claiming them as their own

10 years ago
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Closed 10 years ago by PrinceDrew.