YouTube has gotten a bit of flack from personalities for the perceived lack of regard for the “fair use” policies on the site. Internet celebrities such as Doug Walker and Jim Sterling have criticized YouTube for allowing companies to issue copyright strikes on videos that still follow the fair use guidelines. Detractors have also taken issue with the automated ContentID system that flags videos for copyrighted content.However, here is a case in which videos have been flagged manually by Sony for merely talking about a game.
According to Game Informer, the game is No Man’s Sky and YouTube users have recently been dealing with flags for just talking about the game. A YouTuber named Steven Thomas uploaded video detailing how plans to stream the game for 24 hours as charity for the Make-a-Wish foundation was halted by Sony’s notification. In the video, Thomas claims that he did not have a copy of the game and only used existing, approved footage in his video. The video was later listed as private.
Thomas explained his only alternative to YouTube:
If this is not corrected I will be forced to resort to using Twitch, however I do not have a fanbase and have never livestreamed on this platform so there is a high chance that the funds that could have been raised for the charity will greatly suffer.
Another YouTube Channel called “The Know” was flagged for a video that discussed No Man’s Sky. However, because of the channel’s clout, they were able to get Sony’s attention and quickly removes the channel’s strike. A video detailing these events can be found below:
Fortunately, Hello Games founder Sean Murray is aware of these occurrences and and sent out a tweet to those affected.
It should probably be emphasized that these take-downs weren’t automated ContentID take-downs. These videos were manually flagged by Sony themselves. Sony later had the copyright strikes on Thomas and The Know’s videos lifted.