YouTube apologizes for errant removals, creates team to tackle false takedowns

YouTube has taken to its forum to announce major changes to the way it polices videos, including the removal of clips and de-monetizing channels.

The Google-owned video service claims that it has noticed a surge in comments and discussion regarding the enforcement of its policies. Apologizing for any mistakes that may have been made on its part, YouTube states that the negative feedback has resulted in the creation of a team dedicated to “minimizing mistakes.”

Specifically, it refers to creating better communication channels between creators and its support team. Additionally, it also promises to make “improvements to increase transparency into the status of monetization claims.”

According to certain reports, YouTube creators have grown critical of its automated content ID system, which was responsible for the tasks its new, dedicated team will now increasingly take on itself.

Although YouTube claims that it has not witnessed a big change in the “overall rate of removals,” the comments on the forum post indicate that users are disgruntled by false copyright claims against videos. Affected creators can currently submit appeals forms to get their videos reinstated. Opponents claim that the time it takes to process the forms leads to a hit on their revenue, which for some of the platform’s biggest stars can equal a lot of money.

“You are in fact not monitoring the copyright dispute system and are instead allowing gross abuses of it,” claims Brother Bones in a popular comment on the forum post addressing the changes. “After this month I’m probably not going to continue my YouTube Red subscription because it seems wrong to support a company that clearly cares so little for the people that create content for them.”

YouTube has hit back, telling Engadget that “copyright wasn’t under discussion as part of the reforms.” However, in order to retain its biggest users — and employ them to create exclusive content for its Red subscription service — it will be relying on its changes to stem the tide of negative feedback.