Hi everyone! I returned from my trip to NYC to finally find an email from YouTube concerning my recent inquiry about them offering my music for free without my permission. (see my blog http://community.nodepression.com/profiles/blogs/youtube-surprise) Unfortunately, here’s what it said:
“Thanks for your interest in YouTube’s Content Identification and Management System (Content ID). Content ID is still in beta phase of launch, and we’re working hard to improve and test out this new technology. Our goal is to extend invitations to as many YouTube users as we can.
“Unfortunately we are unable to accept your application at this time. When we evaluate applications for Content ID, one aspect we look at is whether the channel owner has exclusive web rights for the entire content of each video. For example, the channel owner must own exclusive web rights for any music (including background music) or TV/news/sports/media clips.
“We look forward to making Content ID more widely available soon. Thanks again for your interest and your understanding.
The YouTube Team”
So because I don’t own the video content, I have no claim on how my music is used? Ironically, YouTube asserts that owners must “must own exclusive web rights for any music” (which I do – it’s MY music!) and they are offering my music to their users without out my permission (and for quite some time, without my knowledge) They still didn’t tell me how they obtained my tracks or who gave them permission to give them away for free.
I don’t really know what to do about it at this point. Their channel of communication is very confusing, unless you are claiming someone used your images or video without permission. There really is nowhere to complain about the use of your music without permission.
Again, it’s not that folks are using my music on their videos that bugs me. That can be a good thing, provided I am at least given credit for the song. It’s that YouTube seems to think they have the right to distribute my music for free without even telling me they are going to do it! And that they don’t think I have the right to claim ownership for a recording I wrote, financed, sang and played on and released. I’m also a little concerned that someone could use my music on a video that would be offensive in some way and somewhere down the road, this could reflect badly on me. I think I should have the right to say how my music is used.
All that being said, with prepping a new release, band rehearsals, tour booking, playing shows and everything else I am busy with right now, I unfortunately just don’t have the time or resources to keep chasing this right now. I am a one-person business and there’s only so much I can do. I’ll just look at it from the bright side of having more people enjoying my music and hope that maybe something good comes from it, like more CD sales or folks at my shows. I mean, that’s why I made the music in the first place, so at least it is getting heard! 🙂
Happy Monday! BTW I’m playing a house concert in Greensboro,NC on Sunday, so if any of ya’ll are in the Triangle region, come on out!
xox, Angela
