Skip to main content

YouTube apologizes for errant removals, creates team to tackle false takedowns

youtube extremist videos penalized ios
Image used with permission by copyright holder
YouTube has taken to its forum to announce major changes to the way it polices videos, including the removal of clips and de-monetizing channels.

The Google-owned video service claims that it has noticed a surge in comments and discussion regarding the enforcement of its policies. Apologizing for any mistakes that may have been made on its part, YouTube states that the negative feedback has resulted in the creation of a team dedicated to “minimizing mistakes.”

Recommended Videos

Specifically, it refers to creating better communication channels between creators and its support team. Additionally, it also promises to make “improvements to increase transparency into the status of monetization claims.”

Please enable Javascript to view this content

According to certain reports, YouTube creators have grown critical of its automated content ID system, which was responsible for the tasks its new, dedicated team will now increasingly take on itself.

Although YouTube claims that it has not witnessed a big change in the “overall rate of removals,” the comments on the forum post indicate that users are disgruntled by false copyright claims against videos. Affected creators can currently submit appeals forms to get their videos reinstated. Opponents claim that the time it takes to process the forms leads to a hit on their revenue, which for some of the platform’s biggest stars can equal a lot of money.

“You are in fact not monitoring the copyright dispute system and are instead allowing gross abuses of it,” claims Brother Bones in a popular comment on the forum post addressing the changes. “After this month I’m probably not going to continue my YouTube Red subscription because it seems wrong to support a company that clearly cares so little for the people that create content for them.”

YouTube has hit back, telling Engadget that “copyright wasn’t under discussion as part of the reforms.” However, in order to retain its biggest users — and employ them to create exclusive content for its Red subscription service — it will be relying on its changes to stem the tide of negative feedback.

Saqib Shah
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Saqib Shah is a Twitter addict and film fan with an obsessive interest in pop culture trends. In his spare time he can be…
You Asked: Sony vs. Sony, neon TVs, and YouTube in HDR
You Asked Feature

This week on You Asked: The Sony A80L versus the 2024 Bravia 8 OLED, how to fix colors that look like neon on your TV, who actually cares about TV speakers, and why aren’t more TV review videos on YouTube in HDR?

Sony A80L vs. Bravia 8 OLED, Worth Upgrading LG C2 to G4? | You Asked Ep. 40
How to fix colors that look like neon on your TV

Read more
YouTube Playables gets wider availability — here’s where to find it
Some of the games in YouTube's Playables collection.

Some of the games in YouTube's Playables collection. YouTube

YouTube has officially launched Playables, a collection of free games that you can play via the iOS or Android YouTube apps, as well as the streaming giant’s website.

Read more
Fubo adds one of YouTube TV’s best features
The Fubo app icon on Apple TV.

In a change that might actually move the needle toward taking over the No. 3 spot in the (don't call them) Streaming Wars, Fubo has added a feature that until now has been reserved for the No. 1 player.

That is, you can now record as much streaming TV as you want on Fubo. As in unlimited. As in the same as what YouTube TV has had the whole time. And that's a pretty big deal for a number of reasons.

Read more