YouTube Copyright Claim vs. Strike: Key Differences for Creator

Therefore, every creator needs to know and comply with the YouTube Community guidelines and understand what may be subject to a Copyright Claim and what may be subject to a much harsher punishment, a Strike. Let’s get right to the bottom of this subject.  

Copyright Claim vs Strike — What’s the Difference? 

It may seem that these two concepts refer to the same process, but this is not the case. The thing is, a Copyright Claim is just a warning that your video contains material that infringes on someone else’s content rights. Very often this happens if you use unlicensed music or don’t have an agreement with its author. 

These kinds of notifications mostly come automatically thanks to the Content ID system. It processes all the videos just posted and compares them to its database of digital fingerprints. If the YouTube algorithm detects a match, it will let you know right away. In fact, the program is already so well-trained that it can read a tune even if you just sing it in your video and give you a warning for it, so be careful. 

The same goes for not only music, but videos as well. If you’re working with compilations and large amounts of material that you take from public sources, be prepared for the fact that you may run into copyright issues. 

By the way, Mediacube partners get free access to Content ID, so your content will be well protected if you decide to become our creator. 

What Happens if You Get a Copyright Claim 

Most importantly, the video that received a complaint is not deleted and remains available. So if you’re getting it for the first time, no need to worry. However, there are a number of things that can still be done with your video.   

• First of all, the revenue from copyrighted materials can be redirected to their owner. Consequently, you won’t get any ad revenue.  
• Your video may be blocked in certain countries or restricted from playing on mobile devices.

It does not affect the status of the channel, no strike is given. Anyway, at this stage, you should start thinking about how to avoid YouTube demonetization.

What is Copyright Strike?

A Copyright Strike, unlike a Copyright Claim, is a more serious infringement that is usually manually initiated without the involvement of Content ID. To do so, the copyright holder themselves must file a formal complaint via a form on YouTube. Consequently, this can already be considered a legal statement demanding the removal of the video at the very least. 

You can see the copyright strike in your personal account in Studio: select the Content tab and look at the Restrictions column. There you’ll also see what monetization icon you got and if there are any restrictions on showing your content at all. 

What are the consequences of a strike:

• Your video is removed from the platform and you get 1 strike out of 3 possible. 
• If you get 3 strikes within 90 days your channel will be permanently deleted. 
• There are also a number of restrictions imposed on your channel. These include, for example, being banned from streaming, losing access to monetization, or not being able to upload long videos.
  

Copyright strike vs Claim in One Image

What To Do if You Receive a Copyright Claim

First of all, go to your personal account in Studio to see which part of your video has received a complaint. YouTube always accurately marks these moments and gives you tips.  Next, you have a few options for action. 

1. Do nothing and leave it as it is. But in that case, the revenue from the video will be paid to the copyright holder of the content.  
2. You can also replace a fragment that has received a complaint. You can do this in YouTube Studio.
3. Dispute the Claim. But in that case, you have to be absolutely sure that you:

• Have a license for the content that received the complaint. 
• Have used the content in a fair use manner,
• Or you are the creator of the content and have the right to use it. 

Although Claims are just a warning for now, we strongly advise against disregarding them. Otherwise, the YouTube algorithm will think there’s something wrong with your content and stop recommending the video to users.  

What To Do if You Receive a Copyright Strike

If you’ve received your first strike, don’t panic. That’s pretty much how all of our YouTube tips start. The first Copyright Strike is still a warning for now, albeit a serious one.  What to do in this case. 

1. As with Copyright Claim, you have the option to do nothing if you agree with the infringement. If you don’t get a new strike within 90 days, it just automatically disappears. 
2. Check your email and notification in YouTube Studio. It will tell you who made the complaint and what content was complained about.
3. If you disagree, submit a dispute. But remember: if the copyright holder rejects it, it could go to court.
4. You could also try contacting the copyright holder and negotiating with them for either the right to use the fragment, or to withdraw the strike if you’ve made a mistake.  

YouTube will also ask you to take a copyright training course. This request is also worth complying with, then the platform will see that you’re working on yourself. And again, remember that 3 strikes leads to complete removal of the channel. So be careful even with the first one. 

How To Avoid Claims and Strikes

The most obvious as always is to create only original content. If you minimize your copyright risks, you don’t have to worry about this issue at all. However, we realize that it’s quite a difficult task, especially if you’re working with movie reviews, for example. Therefore: 

1. Try to use only licensed content. For example, if you need music, it’s better to use services like Epidemic Sound, Artlist, YouTube Audio Library. The same goes for photos and videos: the internet is now full of free-access image banks. 
2. Figure out what Fair Use is and how to work with it properly. For example, in the US, you can insert other people’s content into your videos if:  

• The fragment has been transformed. For example, your commentary or criticism of a movie. 
• The use is not detrimental to the original work.
• You’re using a small segment,
• Or you don’t have the goal of commercial gain.
  

However, keep in mind that even using 5 seconds of someone else’s song can still result in a claim or strike. YouTube doesn’t guarantee that the copyright holder won’t complain about your video, so fair use is hardly a strong defense. By the way, we recently released a full-fledged guide on how to avoid copyright claims on our blog, so you can check it out via this link.  

FAQ

Can I get a Strike without warning?

Unfortunately, this is possible. So if the copyright holder files a formal complaint right away, YouTube will remove your video and you’ll get a Strike.  

Can the same content trigger both Claim and Strike?

No, as we found out today, they are very different. Nevertheless, never ignore Claims because it can lead to negative consequences.  

What do I do if I get a strike by mistake? 

File a counterclaim if you’re sure you’re right. But remember that this is a legal procedure, so it’s better to ask for help from Mediacube experts, we will tell you what to do.  

Conclusion

At Mediacube, we want YouTube Monetization to work consistently and smoothly for all of our creators. However, experience shows that this is impossible, so you can always contact our experts. We’ve been working with the platform for years, so we know what to do if you have any kind of dispute, so sign up with MC Pay and you’ll have access to help from our managers. 

However, if you want to save yourself some trouble, then try to work on YouTube in a way that avoids any complaints. In that case, you won’t be afraid of Claims or Strikes. 

Good luck!

By Andrew Masenzov

Andrew Masenzov

Wright at Mediacube. Professional journalist with 15 years of experience, copywriter, movie critic, and marketing Blog editor. He has been working at Mediacube for 4 years and is an expert in YouTube and other social platforms. He has written 500+ pieces of content for the corporate Blog and for third party publications.