Making YouTube Videos:  Why You Need to Be Cautious of Work from Others

Are you interested in making your own video to be displayed on the YouTube website?  If you are, you may be wondering what type of video you should make.  While there are a large number of different YouTube videos that you can make and share with other internet users, there are certain types of videos that you may want to avoid.  One of those videos involves video content that isn’t actually yours.

When it comes to making your own YouTube videos, you will want to make sure that the videos are actually yours.  It is common to find videos on YouTube that have similar ideas or concepts; that is okay.  What is not okay is actually using someone else’s work. This is actually illegal, as many videos, television shows, movies, and music videos are protected by copyright laws.  Copyright laws aim to protect those who legally own a piece of work, like a television show, movie, or music video.  Since someone else’s work is often protected by law, you could suffer serious consequences for using someone else’s work, especially if you try and claim it as your own.

What you need to remember about copyright laws is that they include every second or word of the piece in question. For instance, there are some YouTube video owners who think that they can show different clips of their favorite movies, music videos, or television shows. Many believe since they are not showing the item in its entirety, they are safe from breaking any copyright laws, but that is not how it works. You are required to seek permission from those holding the rights to a music video, movie, or television show before using any part of it, even a clip that only last a few seconds.

One aspect of copyrighting, that you need to take into consideration is, which many people are unfamiliar with, surrounds public venues or public events.  Did you know that if you take a video of a popular sports event or a concert, you may be unable to post that video online?  In most cases, you will find that no issue is raised by opposing parties, but you never really know until a problem arises. In many cases, the venue that hosted the event could claim that they have the rights to your video, as it documents an event that took place on their property.  It is also not uncommon for the individual or individuals in question to claim that they own the copyright of any videos taken, as the video focuses on them. That is why you may want to proceed with caution before uploading sporting event videos or concert videos to the YouTube website.

As it was previously mentioned, there are consequences to violating copyrighting laws.  In most cases, you will find that the consequences depend on the parties involve, as they often have the most say in what action is taken. If you post a video on YouTube and the video wasn’t yours or contains illegal clips, your video will likely be removed right away.  As previously mentioned, the parties involves, most commonly the copyright owners, may wish to have you prosecuted or fined; the decision is often theirs to make.  

As you can see, there are a number of different reasons as to why you need to be careful when making and sharing videos on the YouTube website.  In all honesty, you just need to use your head. You wouldn’t want someone taking the credit for your hard work, would you?

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