Stock Footage considered "Reused Content" ?

[Krisfire]

Compliance Reviews are done by human beings. In November of 2018, YouTube decided to adopt and modify the AdSense Content Quality Guidelines to fit YouTube video content. These Guidelines state that all content on monetized channels must be copyright-owned (not licensed) by the creator, and totally unique to each user. Unfortunately, this has both placed YouTube at odds with Mainstream Broadcast Media, with whom reuse of content both audio and visual is an industry standard, and guaranteed that 90-95% of channels which are either currently a part of the YPP, or apply as new applicants, will not comply with current CQ Guidelines.

Okay I'll bite, I'm not doubting that stock footage in some cases would be unhallowed. Buying the footage, or in this case licensing the footage from a company in almost all scenarios, you have the rights to monetize the work its in as long as the licensed footage is not being resold. Going from there just going to quote the youtube partner program policy page.

"
Ensure you have commercial use rights for your content."

• It’s important you have the right to use all of your content commercially before monetizing it on YouTube. If you continuously submit ineligible videos, you may be suspended from the YouTube Partner Program.
  
  Here are some of the key monetization policies that relate to copyright:
  
  • Own commercial-use rights: Make sure you have all the rights to the content that you attempt to monetize. This includes right to all audio and video elements.
  • Understand your rights: If you incorporate third-party content in a video that you attempt to monetize, make sure you understand your rights granted by the license
  • Monetizing third-party content: Make sure you’re adding value to any third-party content you monetize, and that your content has significant original commentary, educational value, or editorialized statement.

"
Content quality guidelines"

Reminder: These guidelines apply to your channel overall. If we find that a channel is dedicated to content that doesn’t meet our guidelines, the channel may be suspended from the Partner Program.

Make sure your content adds value, and is unique and relevant. We’ve included some examples of content that doesn’t meet these standards, which means it can’t be monetized. This list is not exhaustive.

• Reused Content This is content that doesn’t provide significant original commentary, or educational value. It may also mean that we’ve identified that large portions of your channel either completely match other content, or are noticeably similar. Examples include:
  • Third-party videos stitched together with minimal to no changes
  • Third-party content compiled without a narrative
  • Content uploaded somewhere else first
  • Content uploaded many times by multiple users
• Repetitious content This is content that appears mass-produced in order to increase views without adding significant educational or other value. Examples include:
  • Synthetic voice reads third-party content or nonsensical content
  • Content on a channel with minimal changes from video to video
  • Repetitive or mindless content with no additional educational value commentary or narrative
  • Content that’s been mass produced or generated programmatically
  • Image slideshows or scrolling text with minimal or no additional narrative, commentary, or educational value

Note: You may be able to monetize third-party content if you have commercial use rights for that content, and you’re contributing to the value of that content in some way. This can include, but is not limited to, high-quality editing, adding commentary, or narrative.

After reading through their post on this, it leads me to believe that reusing content only applies if the content is Low effort Not a majority of the channels that would even use stock footage would qualify as Low effort. Going from there, if you're getting stock forage from a site like pond5 then you get the commercial license with the clips. By all means correct me if I'm wrong, but from what the support page says. It leads me to believe that stock footage is perfectly fine to use as long as the content add's to it.

But if you have to 100% own all footage and assets used in the video then reaction channels are out, React! and FineBros are done. Movie reviewers are out since most of them show clips from trailers. Theorists are out since they show assets from the stuff they are theorizing about. Again correct me if I'm wrong, I genuinely wanna learn more and from my reading this is the conclusion

 

[UKHypnotist]

Allow me to assist then.

All you need to do is look for threads referring to "monetization disabled" without a side-reference to the monetization tab itself being disabled on the YouTube Support Community. Another thing you should look for is "monetization not approved - reused content". As I have VIP, I can link the relevant section here. I was just about to go up and check the newest threads on my "morning rounds" anyway.

https://support.google.com/youtube/threads?hl=en&thread_filter=(category:monetization)

The people complaining, have either been monetized for years, and have either come under the review process for existing channels and been removed from the YPP as a result, or their initial review has failed. There will be many reasons stated by the Product Experts, but the most prevalent will be use of third party content, even under licensing, plus the YouTube Audio Library.

I just found one thread which may be of interest...will see if I can find another later.

https://support.google.com/youtube/thread/2130159?hl=en

 

[Krisfire]

Having gone through some of those, I think I get it.

Youtube only cares about who own the copyright of anything, licensing and licensing transfers don't matter so I'm questioning how this will go from here.

Architects have the copyright of their buildings so travel vlogers are out.
Video essays such as Nerdwriter and every frame a painting are out since they dont own the works they talk about or show.
React channels are out for obvious reasons.
Gaming channels are out since they dont own the games they play.
Makeup channels are out since they down own the products they use.
Movie reviewers are out too. see ya later CinemaSins and CInemaWins.
Hell even toy review channels are out since they don't own the copyright of the toys they play with.

All I'm seeing is more reasons to keep posting videos ad free, don't let youtube get a cent of ad rev and monetize through patreon and third party methods.

 

[UKHypnotist]

Better yet, dump YT entirely in favour of a different platform!