#CopyrightInfringement

YouTube has finally processed our counterclaim to Volkswagen’s claim of copyright infringement. And guess what? YouTube’s copyright bots decided in our favor! I’m right chuffed about it.

What does that mean? Well, not so much for you, but it means we can do our jobs a bit more effectively. Also, it means David can still take on Goliath — and win.

The Verge has an article today about the arduous process of hoops YouTube makes publishers jump through if a copyright infringement claim is made against a video. It’s an interesting look behind the scenes of video publishing and the tools YouTube makes available to copyright holders wanting to protect intellectual property. It also highlights the lack of human-based recourse publishers have when it comes to hollow copyright claims.

“Fair use” allows limited use of copyrighted material. This is how parodies and satires get around certain legal restraints. Fair use is also why we can use snippets of articles from other outlets, so long as we don’t use those articles in their entirety.

Even further, automakers make materials available for editorial use on their own press portals. This material is offered free of charge by automakers so we can pimp their products. But sometimes they make a mistake and post the wrong thing.

Volkswagen posted the wrong thing. And now our YouTube channel is crippled.