One of the greatest things about the internet is the ability to bring information to people who otherwise may not be able to access it as easily. A lot of people in New York use online videos to learn new skills. Some of the video creators may receive financial compensation for teaching, either directly from video revenue, or indirectly from increased sales of other things they may produce. However, in the case of YouTube videos that teach people to play instruments like a guitar, some artists feel teachers are profiting off of their songs by using them as teaching tools. Now authorities are attempting to determine if these instructional guitar videos are a violation of copyright law.
Videos that teach people to play songs on different instruments have been popular for a long time, but recently some have questioned the legality of the videos. Some videos are released by the artists themselves and generally don’t violate copyright law, since the artists are normally the ones who hold the copyright. Some artists say that their videos have been unfairly targeted, even when they are the ones holding the copyright. Others question if teachers should be allowed to use famous songs for which they clearly have no legal right to use.
Supporters of these videos say they fall under Fair Use laws and that removing them will only push viewers to other platforms for the same information. Still, many creators have had their videos and entire channels removed from YouTube over the controversy. Furthermore, they say that the system is set up so that appealing a decision could result in them losing their channel.
Though the debate around this issue is unsolved for now, there are still many reasons why artists need to consider protecting their work through copyright law. Anyone here in New York who is unsure about the process can speak with an attorney who has significant experience with these types of cases. It is important that artists retain control over the use of their creations.