[Flammy]

The 'magic' is called Content-ID and it looks for video and audio matches with content uploaded to a private (and unviewable) system by copyright holders and it takes automated action if a match is detected.

Theoretically any matches are reviewed by a human, but they make it quiet easy to automate the 'review' process. Automated actions are typically Claim-Remove (claim content for copyright holder, remove from YouTube) for some content types (Movies, TV shows, some music) or Claim-Monetize (claim content, ad advertisements if there were not already on, and if they were already on all revenue is redirected to claimant).

This automated system is actually what causes the majority of 'this content is not available in your country' messages, as if it gets claimed by a studio / copyright holder who only has the rights distribute in USA and UK for example, everyone else would see that error message after it has been claimed-monetized.

In case anyone was curious.

[Flammy]

Edit: realized I had a contextual homonym typo... and it has been too long so I can't edit. (Why does HN do that... gah)

> or Claim-Monetize (claim content, ad advertisements

ad --> adds

Which is an interesting distinction because this means content that had no in video ads (pop over text ads, pre-roll ads, trueview ads) can get ads added to it when it is claimed, if that is what the claimer chooses to do.

[xkcd-sucks]

How does a group get upload access to ContentID? Can a small independent record label or filmmaker use ContentID to protect their works, or does one have to be a member of a AA?

[Flammy]

You can apply. Manual approval and doesn't seem to be the most consistent.

https://www.youtube.com/content_id_signup