How to Not Get Copyrighted on YouTube in 2024

Uploading creative videos on YouTube can be a great way to share your passions with the world, but many creators are concerned about copyright violations. To ensure a smooth legal journey on the platform, it is critical to understand copyright rules and best practices in 2024.

This guide covers the basic concepts of copyright law, where to find royalty-free content, fair use guidelines, how to create original content, music licensing options, and how to protect your work.

5 Ways to Not Get Copyrighted on YouTube

Here are easy and quickest ways to help you generate content without getting copyright issues:

Method 1: Create Original Content

1. Generate Your Ideas: The best way to avoid copyright issues is to create original work that is completely owned by you. This includes scripts, films, music, and any other creative work.
2. Write Your Personalized Scripts: Write creative scripts for your films while avoiding plagiarism or copying existing material.
3. Record Your VoiceOvers: Use your voice to narrate your videos to maintain authenticity and avoid potential copyright claims from voice actors or narrators.
4. Shoot Your Footage: To keep complete control of all your visual content, record your particular videos and images.

Method 2: Use Royalty-Free Content:

1. Examine Music Libraries without Royalties: Use online platforms that provide royalty-free music tracks, sound effects, and background music.
2. Use Websites with Stock Footage: Access an extensive library of stock footage clips that are free of copyright issues to use in your videos.
3. Look for Creative Commons Licenses: Look out for content covered by Creative Commons licenses, which permit certain uses without the owner of the copyright's express consent.

Method 3: Understand Fair Use

1. Learn About Fair Usage Guidelines: Get to know yourself with the fair use idea, which allows limited use of copyrighted content in certain circumstances.
2. Use Copyrighted Material Carefully and Properly: If you decide to utilize copyrighted content, be sure it is for commentary, criticism, news reporting, research, or teaching.
3. Change the Original Content: By changing, updating, or adding a few special characteristics to the copyrighted material, you can significantly increase its value.

Method 4: Get Necessary Permissions

1. Contact the Copyright Owner to Request Permission: If you want to utilize copyrighted material that is not covered by fair use, contact the copyright owners and get permission.
2. Take Licensing Contracts into Consideration: Explore licensing options for legally using copyrighted content for a set amount of time or specific purposes.
3. Keep Track of All Permits. Keep track of any rights or licenses issued to avoid future conflicts.

Method 5: Protect the Privacy of Your Work

1. Copyright Your Original Content: To prove legal ownership, register your original works with the relevant copyright authority.
2. Use Clear Copyright Notices: To avoid illegal activity, add copyright notices on your videos and other creative works.
3. Keep an Eye Out for Infringements: Keep a close watch on your YouTube and other platform content to spot and resolve any instances of copyright infringement.

What are the Improper Ways to Not Get Copyright Claims And Strikes?

Here are some common mistakes in attempting to avoid claims for copyright on YouTube:

Assuming Fair Use Covers Everything

• While fair use is an important legal concept, it does not grant you a broad license to utilize any copyrighted content.
• It is a difficult legal doctrine that demands a careful review of the individual facts.

Muting Audio

• Although muting copyrighted audio appears to be a clever solution, it is not safe. 
• Content ID systems can still detect visual components that match copyrighted content.

Adjusting the Audio or Video

• A minor change in the audio or video, such as adjusting the pitch or speed, might not be enough to avoid detection. 
• Content ID systems are becoming stronger at spotting changed material.

Using Short Clips

• Using short clips of copyrighted content might seem to be a safe decision, but it can still result in copyright claims if the clips are used without authorization or violate fair use criteria.

Re-uploading Content After a Strike

• Re-uploading the same content after obtaining a copyright strike is a violation of YouTube's policy and could result in severe consequences such as channel deletion.

Using Content from Other Creators Without Permission

• Using content made by other YouTubers or content creators without their permission is an open violation of copyright law.

Ignoring Copyright Claims and Strikes

Refusing to respond to copyright claims and strikes can result in serious repercussions such as channel demonetization, video removal, and even channel termination.