The Creator’s Guide to Copyright and Licensing

Using an image, song, or clip without the right license is one of the fastest ways for a creator to face a costly takedown.

Picture a channel that uses a popular song in a video, grows quickly, and then loses monetization on that video to a copyright claim. The mistake was easy to avoid.

Start by understanding the difference between free to view and free to use, because finding an image online is not the same as having permission to publish it in your content.

Then use only sources with clear licenses, such as stock libraries and Creative Commons assets, and keep a record of where each asset came from. When in doubt, create your own assets or buy a license, because the cost is almost always smaller than the risk. Protecting your work starts with respecting other people’s.