Guinness World Records Issues Copyright Strikes Against YouTube Creators
Recently, complaints began to surface online, exposing that some YouTube creators were having copyright strikes issued against the content they had uploaded. Guinness World Records is the organization that issued the copyright strikes. It was initially stated that this was because of the term “World Record.” Still, it may be tied to the unauthorized use of imagery and iconography from Guinness World Records in thumbnails and videos. Initially, this was stated because of the term “World Record.”
It is particularly important for people who upload videos to YouTube connected to gaming because tens of thousands of videos on the platform are devoted to gamers chasing ‘unofficial’ (or official) world records. There are just as many thumbnails with the Guinness World Records insignia front and center in them. Those individuals who have uploaded videos to their channels claiming to have broken the world record for the most solo kills achieved in Warzone and have used the GWR logo in the thumbnail of their films may suddenly find themselves in a precarious situation.
However, does it qualify as a world record?
In the worst-case scenario, the vast majority of YouTubers who claim to hold ‘world records’ just by affixing an emblem to the thumbnail of their video are diluting the significance of really achieving a Guinness World Record. On the other hand, it is being asserted in social circles that GWR is doing a great deal more damage to the reputation of its company by issuing these ‘copystrikes’ against YouTube creators.
It all started when a user by the name of DuckyTheGamer posted on Twitter and highlighted an image of an email from YouTube informing them that a video on YouTube that was four years old and headlined “I Carried a Fortnite Mobile WORLD RECORD HOLDER!” had been removed because of a notice issued by Guinness World Records. This spark started the fire that ignited the rest of the controversy.
I just got a copyright strike from having the phrase “world record” in a 4 year old youtube video…
Guinness World Records themselves struck down the video, can I even fight this? pic.twitter.com/awxSXFhw7W
— DuckyTheGamer (@duckybtw) July 28, 2023
Then, a few more affected people emerged from the shadows, eager to vent their anger against the organization chartering legitimate world records since 1955.
DuckyTheGamer noted that he could face legal action if he contested the takedown notice; as a result, he ultimately decided to “never use their logo in another thumbnail again.” DuckyTheGamer has since removed the offending thumbnail.
We have yet to determine whether this is a widespread movement or a cluster of more localized, focused gatherings. For example, Ducky mentioned that the movie in question was “manually detected,” which indicates that an individual actively sought it out and reported it for violating copyright. Even though he was joking when he made the statement, he concluded that someone at GWR might hold a grudge against him.
