(10) Interview with Matt

About Matt and the interview.

Matt as been a Youtuber for over a year now, and has posted over 600 videos. His content generally deals with video games which can be a touchy issue when it comes to their copyrights. This interview has been paraphrased so as to include the most valuable and concise information. Be sure to check out his channel so you can see the wonderful content that he regularly uploads.

https://www.youtube.com/user/mattman522


What got you interested in posting videos on Youtube?

"Well, I started off as a podcaster, doing that a couple of years prior to doing Youtube. And then when I saw all of these entertaining people, that were kind of like me, I kind of thought "Well I could do that." So I did it basically because I thought it was fun."

What sort of content do you upload to Youtube?

"Mostly Let's Plays. I occasionally upload reviews, some vlogs, the occasional "soap box" video."

Are you familiar with Youtube's ContentID system, and what do you know about it?

"Yes. I know that it is an automated system on Youtube to capture any sort of specific footage or audio to stop people from uploading things that they shouldn't, like copyrighted video or music."

Have you had any issues with your videos being flagged by Youtube?

"Yes. A couple of my Tomb Raider videos were copyright flagged for their music, because the soundtrack does have music belonging to various bands. They were flagged and a copyright claim was sent.  All that meant was that I could either dispute this and say that I own the music or I could say that I don't own the music, which would mean that all of the profits from my video would go to the copyright holder."

What sort of steps have you taken to protect you and your videos from copyright issues?

"Emailing the developers of the video games that I make videos of and asking for their written permission, as well as taking a screenshot of it. I make sure that I have their permission for me to make content on the game and make them very aware of the type of content I will make. I keep the written permission because on occasion Youtube will still flag my video, so this will help protect me."

Lastly, what is your overall opinion of Youtube as a website? What sort of improvements do you think it should have?

"I think that it is fantastic. It is a good place to upload your content. There are all sorts of videos that you can watch, even free education videos like documentaries. As a viewer, I have no problems. As a content uploader, I also don't have many problems, because the rules that Youtube puts in place are legal rules. There's no getting around it."