What is copyright?

In many countries, when a person creates an original work that is fixed in a physical medium, they automatically own copyright to the work. As the copyright owner, they have the exclusive right to use the work. Most of the time, only the copyright owner can say whether someone else has permissions to use the work.

Which types of work are subject to copyright?
  • Sound recordings and musical compositions
  • Visual works, such as paintings, posters, and advertisements
  • Video games and computer software
  • Dramatic works, such as plays and musicals

Ideas, facts, and processes are not subject to copyright. According to copyright law, in order to be eligible for copyright protection, a work must be creative and it must be fixed in a tangible medium. Names and titles are not, by themselves, subject to copyright.

Can I use a copyright-protected work without infringing?

In some circumstances, it is possible to use a copyright-protected work without infringing the owner’s copyright. For more about this, you may want to learn about fair use. You can also get permission to use someone else's content in your video.

If you're thinking of using someone else's music in your video, learn more about your options for using music:

Options for using music in your videos

Your video can still be claimed by a copyright owner, even if you have...

  • Given credit to the copyright owner
  • Refrained from monetizing the infringing video
  • Noticed similar videos that appear on YouTube
  • Purchased the content on iTunes, a CD, or DVD
  • Stated that “no copyright infringement is intended"


Can YouTube determine copyright ownership?

No. YouTube isn’t able to mediate rights ownership disputes. When we receive a complete and valid takedown notice, we remove the content as the law requires. When we receive a valid counter notification, we forward it to the person who requested the removal. After this, it’s up to the parties involved to resolve the issue in court.

Is copyright the same as trademark?

Copyright is just one form of intellectual property. It's not the same as trademark, which protects brand names, mottos, logos, and other source identifiers from being used by others for certain purposes. It is also different from patent law, which protects inventions.

YouTube offers a separate removal process for videos which violate trademark or other laws.

What is the difference between copyright and privacy?

Just because you appear in a video, image, or audio recording does not mean you own the copyright to it. For example, if your friend filmed a conversation between the two of you, she would own the copyright to that video recording. The words the two of you are speaking are not subject to copyright separately from the video itself, unless they were fixed in advance.

If your friend, or someone else, uploaded a video, image, or recording of you without your permission and you feel it violates your privacy or safety, you may wish to file a privacy complaint.

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