Can Youtube Channels Copy Blog Article Titles and Content?

[DXL]

I am having an issue with a monetized Youtube channel copying blog titles and content for videos, and need to know how and if this practice can be prevented.

I own a blog where I post new videos along with a detailed article or other backstory. I embed the original content owner's video. Then I generally research what I can about the video, and include links to websites of participants or anything that requires attribution. On some occasions I'll get on the first page of the Google's results for related searches if the video gets popular. I can also score the occasional attribution link from bigger sites (if I did my homework).

A month ago, a Youtube channel owner started paying close attention to my blog. They go through video-related posts, look up the original videos on Youtube, and then steal the video. Then they upload the video to their channel using my exact blog post title, and put whatever text I wrote in the video's description area.

So if a blog post of mine is at the top of Google for related searches, within one day G will throw this channel's video above me in its results. Other channels also bump me down further by reposting the video with the same title as the channel analyzing my blog, and they usually use the same description as well (my content).

My questions.

1. Can a monetized Youtube channel copy an article or blog post title word for word?

2. Can a Youtube channel use copyrighted text in the description without attributing the source?

[tedster]

Any use of your original content, whether text, images or video, is a copyright violations IMO.

[outland88]

Sounds like now that you've been discovered you're going to be playing the same game the recording industry does. In other words a never ending, time consuming battle of chasing down the copyrighted material.

[LostOne]

You could look into Content ID from YouTube. I don't know who is using it or whether or not it's effective. I'd love to hear your experience if you do go in this direction.

[youtube.com...]

A snippet...

What is Content ID?

YouTube's state-of-the-art technologies let rights owners:

Identify user-uploaded videos comprised entirely OR partially of their content, and
Choose, in advance, what they want to happen when those videos are found. Make money from them. Get stats on them. Or block them from YouTube altogether.

[Planet13]

If I understand correctly, primarily it is your TEXT that is unique and original, and the youtube channel is using YOUR text in the description area, is that correct?

If so, I wonder if you can file a DMCA complaint with google?

If your text is unique, and is describing a video (even if it is originally an embedded video from youtube), it is still your unique text.

[edited by: Planet13 at 10:47 pm (utc) on Jun 3, 2013]

[Planet13]

I think that what LostOne is describing is unfortunately going in the opposite direction of what you are asking.

I think the Content ID is when some 12-year-old kid uploads a video of himself singing a Justin Bieber song. Or when someone uploads a video they took of a copyrighted video (like a movie of some kind).

I don't think it has anything to do with scanning the TEXT in a video description on youtube and seeing if it is duplicate content of something already on the web.

Maybe Panda doesn't affect youtube video descriptions?

[DXL]

You could look into Content ID from YouTube.

I think that only works with video/audio.

If I understand correctly, primarily it is your TEXT that is unique and original, and the youtube channel is using YOUR text in the description area, is that correct? If so, I wonder if you can file a DMCA complaint with google?

Any use of your original content, whether text, images or video, is a copyright violations IMO.

I emailed Youtube's copyright department with links to my content, and links to the videos. After two days, I was emailed a canned response saying that my request wasn't detailed enough, and to use the DMCA complaint form.

I fired off a few DMCA complaints. The fact that let you specify "description" as where the infringement takes place was promising. But I also contacted some of the original video owners, and asked them to file complaints (since they'd have a stronger case).

Not sure which was more effective, but in any case that Youtube account was terminated sometime today. What's also interesting is that a day ago I was practically nowhere in the SERPs for searches related to those videos, but tonight I'm back to where I was a few weeks ago (top of Google).

I wish I knew if my DMCA complaints were responsible, but at least I know that they can specifically be filed for video descriptions.

[tedster]

I love a happy ending!

[LostOne]

Cool. Problem taken care of...

"...look up the original videos on Youtube, and then steal the video"

I thought they were downloading your video and using the actual content with a new video. In that case that's where Content ID is supposed to work. Instead they were simply embedding your videos and using your unique text.

I still think it's worth looking into if you do a lot of video. It's something that's been on my mind, but unfortunately I don't have much video content at the present time.

[turbocharged]

It's simply terrible that someone can copy your content and destroy your ranks. Do you think this was part of a negative seo process or a profiteer simply looking to make a quick buck? Glad things are getting back to normal for you DXL.

[DXL]

So immediately after the Youtube channel was shut down, the same person created a new account and uploaded about a dozen videos with the same titles and content as before.

So now I'll find out if complaints strictly about copyright infringing text in the description area is enough to get the channel shut down. If the channel is still up in a few days, I'll contact the original video owners about it. The new videos have ads, I'm amazed that someone can get their account closed for violating Youtube's TOS, but still earn ad revenue.