YouTube copyright income

 The income generated from copyrighted video content on YouTube is managed primarily through the Content ID system, and the revenue distribution largely depends on the actions taken by the copyright owner.

Here are the key points regarding copyright video income on YouTube, often detailed in YouTube's official help documents and creator blog posts:

 * Content ID Claim: YouTube's automated system, Content ID, scans every uploaded video against a vast database of copyrighted works. If it finds a match, it automatically issues a copyright claim.

 * Copyright Owner's Actions (Monetization): The copyright owner has several options when a claim is made, but the one that affects revenue is:

   * Monetize the video: The copyright owner chooses to run ads on the video, and all the ad revenue goes to the copyright owner, not the video uploader (the creator).

   * Other options include blocking the video, tracking its performance, or muting the audio.

 * Revenue Sharing: In some specific circumstances, revenue can be shared:

   * Creator Music: YouTube has a feature called Creator Music where creators can license music for a fee or use certain tracks under a revenue-sharing agreement with the music rights holders. In a revenue-sharing scenario, the creator and the rights holder split the ad revenue from the video, usually with the creator receiving a portion (e.g., a share of the standard 55% creator revenue).

   * Content Owner's Choice: In rare cases, a specific rights holder might allow monetization and choose to share a percentage of the revenue with the uploader, though receiving all the ad revenue is the more common action when a standard Content ID claim is placed.

 * Original Content Creators: If you are an eligible creator in the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) and your video contains only original content or content you have the necessary licenses for:

   * You are generally entitled to 55% of the ad revenue generated on your long-form videos.

 * YouTube Shorts Monetization: Revenue sharing for Shorts is different. Ads run between videos in the Shorts Feed, and the revenue is pooled.

   * Monetizing creators keep 45% of their allocated revenue from this Creator Pool, regardless of whether music was used (as music licensing costs are covered before the pool is distributed).

In summary, if a third-party copyright owner places a claim on your video via Content ID and chooses to monetize it, they receive the income from that specific video, unless you are using music under a specific YouTube revenue-sharing license or the content falls under Fair Use (which is a legal defense that can 

be disputed).

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