YouTube Claiming Terminology Glossary
- CMS: Content Management System– this is the interface system that we use to process claims, disputes, ownership conflicts and analyze streaming data.
- Manual Claim: a copyright claim hand-reviewed by a claimer in CMS.
- Content ID (CID): the automated system used by YouTube to identify copyrighted material and make claims.
- Time Stamps: these denote the specific start and end times for an asset within a YouTube video. Proper time stamps should include all parts of the asset to be claimed, excluding pauses or gaps with no audio. Note: All claims must be a minimum duration of at least 10 seconds.
- Publishing Copyright: publishing copyright, also known as musical composition copyright or songwriting copyright, refers to the rights associated with the underlying musical composition itself—the melody, lyrics, and musical arrangement. This type of copyright applies to any derivative work tied to the underlying composition itself: covers, live performances, remixes, mashups, etc.
- Sound Recording Copyright: sound recording copyright, often referred to simply as "master rights," pertains to the rights associated with a specific recording of a musical composition—the actual audio recording. All claims for sound recordings must be an exact match to the reference file associated with the sound recording.
- Public Domain/Traditional: "traditional music" refers to music that has been passed down through generations within a particular culture or community. It often reflects the customs, beliefs and history of a specific group of people and is typically transmitted orally or through informal channels. Traditional music may include folk songs, dances or instrumental compositions that are deeply rooted in a cultural heritage.
On the other hand, "public domain" refers to creative works, including music, that are not protected by copyright law or whose copyright has expired. This means that the works are freely available for anyone to use, modify and distribute without seeking permission from the original copyright holder. In the context of music, public domain pieces are often older compositions for which copyright protection has lapsed, typically due to the passage of time.
- UGC: User Generated Content
- IRSC: an ISRC, or International Standard Recording Code, is a unique identifier assigned to individual sound recordings. It is a 12-character alphanumeric code used to track and identify specific recordings, regardless of the format they are distributed in (e.g., CD, digital download, streaming).
- ISWC: an ISWC stands for International Standard Musical Work Code. It is a unique identifier assigned to musical works by the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC). The ISWC is used to uniquely identify musical compositions and facilitate the management and tracking of copyright information associated with those compositions.
- Production music: production music, also known as library music, stock music, or background music, refers to pre-recorded music tracks or compositions that are licensed for use in various media productions, such as films, television shows, commercials, podcasts, video games, and corporate videos. Production music is typically created by composers, musicians, or music production libraries specifically for licensing purposes.
- Fair Use: fair use is a legal doctrine that permits the limited use of copyrighted material without the permission of the copyright holder under certain circumstances, such as for criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research. It serves as a balancing provision in copyright law, promoting freedom of expression and creativity while also respecting the rights of copyright owners. The specific criteria for determining fair use may vary depending on the jurisdiction and context of use.
For copyright claiming on YouTube, it is important to refrain from claiming certain types of fair-use videos, such as parodies, reaction videos, tutorials, and reviews. Exceptions can be made but only if the video contains the offending copyrighted material in isolation without any added commentary.