YouTube has released a new set of tools for creators to help them broaden their appeal by offering translation services for their videos.
YouTubers can now crowdsource subtitles from their viewers and also get professional translation for their titles and descriptions through a new YouTube-hosted marketplace.
It’s not long since YouTube announced its new ad-free subscription service, YouTube Red, so this could be one way of the company showing value to potential viewers and its video stars.
VICE is used an example of how translated videos can increase viewership, as daily watchtime on its channel doubled when videos were translated into Spanish and Portuguese.
Meanwhile, parent company Google has released a statement to say it will back some YouTubers it feels are being unfairly targeted in court over copyright.
In a blog post by the company’s copyright legal director Fred von Lohmann, he explains that YouTube does earn the attention of copyright corporations, which isn’t surprising given the amount of content it hosts.
Most videos on YouTube are protected by fair use guidelines but Google says that occasionally this system doesn’t work and complaints are raised. This is where the company will now step in… but only for some.
Lohmann explains:
We are offering legal support to a handful of videos that we believe represent clear fair uses which have been subject to DMCA takedowns. With approval of the video creators, we’ll keep the videos live on YouTube in the U.S., feature them in the YouTube Copyright Center as strong examples of fair use, and cover the cost of any copyright lawsuits brought against them.
We’re doing this because we recognize that creators can be intimidated by the DMCA’s counter notification process, and the potential for litigation that comes with it.
Google says it will also look into creating a demo reel that will help YouTube creators, as well as the copyright industry, gain a better understanding of how fair use can be applied.
➤ Found in Translation: Language tools for building a global audience [YouTube Creator Blog]
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