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When a video, film, TV episode, or piece of music you hold the copyright to is uploaded to YouTube without your permission, you can request its removal using the platform's own copyright infringement reporting system.
Ways to remove a video on YouTube
YouTube offers three different takedown mechanisms:
- Content ID: An automatic matching system for major rights holders — matching content is detected automatically
- Copyright Infringement Notification Form (DMCA Takedown): The official complaint form anyone can use
- Privacy/Personal Data Complaint: A separate channel if the video identifies you without consent
Step-by-step DMCA process
- Go to YouTube's "Copyright Infringement Notification Form"
- Provide the URL of the infringing video and specify which of your original works it uses
- Submit a declaration and electronic signature confirming the work belongs to you
- YouTube generally removes the video promptly; if the uploader files a counter-notice, the process can take longer
Why isn't removing one video enough?
Accounts sharing pirated content typically re-upload the same material under a new title or from a different account as soon as one video is removed. One-off video takedowns don't dry up the source, so they don't permanently solve the problem.
Achernar's Film & TV Series Protection service continuously scans for pirated content on YouTube and other video-sharing platforms and takes it down through our Link Isolation process.