So when you upload a video, the Content ID tool can spot a song snippet used in that video, even if you never mention the name of the song or performer in the video description or title. According to YouTube, this system enables "copyright holders to easily identify and manage their content on YouTube." It works by checking every video uploaded against a database of audio and video "fingerprints" submitted by rightsholders.
Many videos trigger a response from YouTube's "Content ID tool" (also sometimes called the Video ID tool). Sometimes, if you ask nicely, YouTube may review and reconsider the removal, although we are not aware of a formal process for this. The Terms of Service also state that "YouTube reserves the right to remove Content and User Submissions without prior notice," so YouTube takes the view that it can remove a video for any reason it likes.įor more information about these Terms of Service removals, see YouTube's help pages. Instead, they generally result when a video is flagged as containing nudity, gratuitous violence, or otherwise in violation of YouTube's Terms of Use or Community Guidelines. These removals usually have nothing to do with copyright. The message also should appear in your YouTube account, so check there as well. If you didn't receive an email from YouTube, check your spam folder and check that the email address for your YouTube account is current. The reason for the removal of a video is usually mentioned in the email that YouTube sends to the account holder regarding the removal.