Comments on: Users, not labels, silence YouTube music videos

YouTube now gives users who post unauthorized music videos the option of having the Web site pull the video or just turning off the sound.

[ZetaZeta_]

I thought this was pretty dumb when I first saw it. I still think it's bad. For instance, I searched "Audiosurf." One of the very first videos uploaded of Audiosurf (which was linked to by their original wesite before the game was launched) from way back during the beta was a video of Through the Fire and Flames by Dragonforce. I guarantee Dragonforce doesn't care that players are uploading low sound quality videos of them showing off their rhythm skills.

The audio was blocked. My first thought was "WHAT?"

I quickly searched and found several uploads of Dragonforce music videos and songs - NOT uploaded by the official DForce channel - all still with sound.

I think I can expect every video of kids dancing to fun music, parties that happen to play unlicensed music, raves and public performances caught on home video, DDR, beatmania, stepmania, guitar hero, and Audiosurf videos all muted.

[ZetaZeta_]

Oh, I think I misread. It's the users (*uploader*) who mutes the video and not the users (*viewers*) ? If so, that's a little better, but still weird.
YouTube should instead warn viewers only once they get a complaint about a video that they have, say, 24 hours to mute their video... or something. It seems like this is a ploy for YouTube to put more responsibility on the uploader. If a company has a problem with a video, YouTube can just play the "well, we let them mute your content" card... or something. Few people are going to willingly mute their own videos because without sound, 99% of those videos are worthless anyway, and YouTube can have fun deleting them.

[ntlgnce]

Umm, Its not the USERS that are muting the audio. Thats like saying it was the teller that robbed the bank because the robber gave them a note.... DUH its YOUTUBE thats FORCING the "users" to mute the audio or have the video shot off the web all together.

[Atlas_]

Think this through and it makes total sense. YouTube is a media company trying to get other media companies to cut licensing deals. The big weapon these media companies use it the Cease and Desist, take down letter. When they force youtube to take it down youtube looses, but now that it is "muted" youtube STILL has the unauthorized work on the net, just in an unatractive form. They will then use that as leverage to get the labels and other media companies to sign the licensing deals. Once signed, they flip a switch and ALL muted content (from that label) comes back to LIFE without any activity from the original poster. This policy will keep people's eyes on youtube and takes away the fear of a takedown letter from the labels and media giants.

[Capissen]

This must be mostly for "Top 40" style music, because I watch a *ton* of music videos on YouTube and have never seen one muted. I wasn't even aware of the practice until reading this article. I wonder how soon it will be before someone writes a browser plugin that will pull the audio stream from another (presumably illegal) source and syncs it up with the corresponding video on YouTube. Or I suppose you could just do it manually.

[skekoa]

Bad article title! It should be something like: "YouTube's 'music muting policy' offer users a Hobson's choice".

[imacpwr]

Who does Seal think he is now, Prince....?!?! I'm not even going to waste one red cent on that song.

[mutualin4mation]

I used this feature. The RHCP track I put behind my home video was such a horrible violation of copyright that they asked YouTube to pull it. With the one click solution of muting the audio I went for it. Democracy and the rule of law was saved!

[stevenski2424]

As a user of YouTube (my username is BluePounder) I can assure you that YouTube is now muting the audio of videos having WMG music. Yes, users did have the option of replacing the audio, muting the audio or deleting the video. But now YouTube is just muting videos outright without notifying the users. Some of my friends are complaining of this. Also I have a video on my channel "Warner Music Group Sucks". Many of the comments on there complain about the audio being muted from videos without warning.

WMG is now issuing formal DMCA Copyright Infringement notices to YouTube to get videos removed so some users are now getting nasty copyright infringement e-mails along with having their videos removed. Channels will be suspended because of this.

[OmegaWolf747]

Or we could just do away with all these archaic copyright laws and let people express themselves freely.