hackertube.io

YouTube's copyright system isn't broken. The world's is.

Tom Scott · explainer · Watch on YouTube

Law, policing & justiceInternet culture & memesTech industry & business models

What it is

Tom Scott's long explainer on YouTube's copyright system, Content ID and the DMCA. He argues the platform's system is a workaround for a broader copyright system that does not fit the modern world.

Why Hacker News recommends it

The default link in copyright and takedown threads, recommended as an excellent, comprehensive explanation of why automated enforcement and the law work as they do.

  • 13 people recommended it
  • 10 different months
  • 5 strong recommendations
  • first 2020, last 2024

What HN commenters said

  1. “Great video about Copyright by Tom Scott”

    Explains why copyright law is outdated.

    Hokusai, 2020-03 · Strong recommendation · in “Internet Archive’s National Emergency Library Harms Authors”

  2. “Tom Scott did an excellent video on the automation of the copyright system on YouTube”

    Excellent video on automated copyright checking.

    peterkos, 2020-05 · Strong recommendation · in “Trump threatens to 'close' down social media platforms”

  3. “Tom Scott explains the situation and the solution best.”

    Explains the situation and proposes shorter copyright.

    jimbob45, 2020-11 · Strong recommendation · in “A Modest Proposal in the New Age of DMCA Takedown Aggression”

  4. “A really great video (if you're willing to spend the better part of an hour watching it)”

    Really great, hour-long video on copyright claims.

    0xTJ, 2021-05 · Strong recommendation · in “Piano teacher gets copyright claim for Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata [video]”

  5. “I recommend the excellent video by Youtuber Tom Scott”

    Explains aspects of YouTube's copyright system most commenters miss.

    Laremere, 2021-06 · Strong recommendation · in “Dear Google: Public domain compositions exist”

  6. “ContentID is a workaround for a broken copyright system.”

    Content ID as an imperfect workaround for broken copyright.

    oakesm9, 2020-03 · Recommendation · in “I got my file from Clearview AI”

  7. “Tom Scott explains the copyright situation and YouTube's Content ID”

    Explains the copyright situation and YouTube's Content ID.

    nayuki, 2020-04 · Recommendation · in “Copying is not theft, but censorship is (2012)”

  8. “There is a good Tom Scott's video about this distinction and other common misconceptions about copyright”

    Covers parody and common copyright misconceptions.

    anonymfus, 2020-04 · Recommendation · in “With questionable copyright claim, Jay-Z orders deepfake parodies off YouTube”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: copyright, dmca, content id, fair use, youtube

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