Google-owned YouTube rakes in cash from unauthorised content ads
Google has hit another rich vein of YouTube cash with the success of its Content ID program, a system for helping producers to manage their rights and secure revenue even when their copyright has been infringed.
Media companies which identify videos uploaded to YouTube which contain their content used without permission can request to sell advertising on the back of that content and make money from it – rather than simply have the video removed.
Thus far Google has tempted more than 5,000 companies to go down the former route with a majority seeking monetisation, generating over $1bn in revenue payments since the system was introduced.
Google also offers copyright holders the opportunity to mute audio that matches their music and track specific video’s viewership with all actions also country-specific, meaning a video can be monetised in one country and blocked in another.