YouTube launches Copyright School

YouTube recently posted a video and short quiz designed to help young people better understand use of intellectual property relating to reposting and remixing.

In the video, young pirate Russell copies a music video on his cell phone and posts in on YouTube.  He is warned that he could loose his booty and get banned for life!  The film goes on to discuss remixing, fair use, and the possibility of YouTube takedowns, with a small print approach to the legal-eze. It encourages the creation of original work. The tone is intentionally comic melodramatic, in 1950s instructional cartoon style.

YouTube also offers a rich Copyright Education page, sharing material on fair use and remix culture.

For older students, it would be important to balance the discussion with materials that tackle a more nuanced approach to fair use in media production.   You might also check out the resources we are collecting in our Spartan Guide on Fair Use, as well as the material on the Copyright Confusion wiki.

And for even more balance, you might share this video on advice for disputing YouTube takedowns by claiming fair use.

Filed under: copyright, fair use, youtube