Can I use Clips from other YouTube Videos – Detail guide

The YouTube Network is growing by the day. While YouTube appreciates original content, sometimes, we may need to use parts of videos that have been uploaded by someone in the public domain.

In this article, we will look into the policies that guide the re-use of YouTube clips. We will also guide you through the step-by-step process to re-use a video so that we can answer your question, “Can I use clips from other YouTube videos?”

Before we get into the steps and policies that guide the re-use of YouTube content, there are two words that you need to get familiar with. These words are “fair use” and “creative commons”. Please keep reading to find out what they mean and how to abide by them.

What does Fair use mean?

Fair use is a law that governs the re-use of copyrighted material, where you can use certain content without getting permission from the copyright owner. However, various terms and conditions apply to this policy, and they vary from country to country.

“Fair use is not determined by YouTube“, only the court can do that.

In other words, you can use small clips from copyrighted videos, provided you are making something transformative out of the videos. Works of commentary, criticism, and training might be some of the things that are considered fair use. It is again something that depends on a country-to-country basis. There is no hard and fast rule as to what counts as “fair use”.

Remember that you cannot directly pick up someone’s YouTube video and upload it to your public domain. You can use only parts of a YouTube video to create something new, like adding a unique expression or meaning to the original work. It should not copy the original work.

What is Creative Commons?

Creative Commons license is how content creators can permit someone else to use their content. You will have permission to re-use any video marked with a creative commons license.

The creative commons license can be used only for a 100% original video. The entire YouTube community will have the right to re-use and edit a video marked with a creative commons license.

If you are wondering, “Can I use Clips from other YouTube Videos?” If those videos are marked with the creative commons license, then, yes, you can.

Can I use Clips from other YouTube Videos?

To know if you can use other YouTube videos in your video, we need to check the copyrights the video has. We need to verify if the video is subject to a copyright owner, is under the creative commons license, or has no copyrights at all.

Steps for how to check YouTube Video License:

• Navigate to youtube.com.
• Search for the video that you would like to reuse.
• Click on the video and scroll down to the description.
• Under the license section, you will see the kind of license the video has been marked with.

If you see the Creative Commons license, then you have the right to reuse and edit the video.

What to do if the video does not have a Creative Commons license?

“Can you use a youtube video without permission if the video has copyright?” or “Are you allowed to post other people’s content on YouTube if videos are not marked with a creative commons license?” These may be the questions running through your head. Read on to get your answers!

You cannot re-upload a copyrighted video into the public domain. If you re-upload it, it will be considered a copyright infringement on YouTube, and you will receive a copyright strike.

It’s a myth that you can avoid a copyright strike by giving credit to the copyright owner. It’s also a myth that you need to add something of your own to someone else’s video to avoid a copyright claim. The rightful owner of the video can still claim copyright even if you have:

• Switched off monetization for the video.
• Mentioned that you are not the rightful owner and given credit for some parts of the video.
• Purchased the video or music.
• Captured the content yourself from TV, radio, or any other device.

Fulfilling any one or all of the above-listed points does not abide by the policy for fair use of video protected by copyright. Keep reading to know more about “How Can I Use Clips from Other YouTube Videos When They Have a Copyright Claim?”

How to legally use other people’s YouTube Videos?

Below are some of the ways you can use clips from other YouTube videos or legally use other people’s YouTube videos. I hope that these methods will answer the most frequently asked question, “How can I use clips from other YouTube videos without getting a copyright strike?”

Check for a Creative Commons license

You can freely use a video if it has a Creative Commons license. Check the description of the video for the license and use it if it has a “Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)“

Mention in your video description, the copyright owner’s name or nickname, and information about the changes you have added to the original content, and insert a link to the text of the creative commons license, e.g., “http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.”

Get Permission from the owner to use the video

If you want to legally use other people’s YouTube videos that are copyright protected, you generally need to get permission first.

Note: To get the rights to the video, YouTube will not help you out in any way. Make sure that you get permission in a written deal rather than a verbal or a handshake deal.

To use clips from other YouTube videos, you will have to reach out to the creator yourself via message and request permission to use their material.

You can contact the creator via the email they have attached in the about section of their channel. Follow the below steps to reach the creator:

1. Navigate to the YouTube Channel with whom you want to get in touch.
2. Select the About tab of their channel.
3. If a Business Enquiry Email is present, select “View Email Address.” If you don’t see a Business Enquiry Email present, it means that the channel owner didn’t offer one.
4. Use the email to contact the channel owner.

Use video under Fair Use Policy

Can I use clips from other YouTube videos? The answer to this question would be yes. You can use clips from other YouTube videos as long as you abide by the rules and policies.

If you still want to use clips from other YouTube videos and have no way to contact the copyright owner, review the fair use guidelines. Some of the points you need to consider include:

• Your end product must be transformative, don’t just straight out copy the content.
• Consider the size of the segment you are going to use. Use small parts of the video, which are roughly for about 15 seconds or less. Ensure this small fragment of the video does not include the central area of someone else’s content.
• The Copyright owner should not have lost any money because of your content. If he has lost revenue, then reuse will no longer be considered Fair use.

It often happens that even after following all the guidelines, the copyright owners may request that YouTube delete specific videos if they are offensive or give the wrong message.

Even after following all the guidelines, you must remember that your content could be taken down at any time if the copyright owner has requested it.

FAQ’S

In Conclusion

I hope you have found answers to your question, “How Can I use Clips from other YouTube Videos?” Many of you might be new to YouTube and still have so many unanswered questions in your mind. Please leave a comment below, and we will try to answer them.

Remember that before you upload your video, you have all the essential factors considered. To learn about where you can see the video, you have uploaded, read How to Find my Uploaded Videos on YouTube.

As we saw in the above article, the answer to “How Can I use Clips from other YouTube Videos?” is not that straightforward, and at the end of the day, all of us learn from experience.