Be Excellent To Each Other

Hullo,

I have a question.

Here it is.

Our company did some “how to” videos which we have no our website. However, some numpties in our marketing department hosted them on Youtube. The videos on our website are therefore embedded links to the Youtube video, as far as I can work out.

It turns out that a company that competes with one of our subsidiaries has stuck these videos up on their website, as embedded Youtube links.

Well, actually, that wasn't the question, that was the scene setting. Here’s the question:

Can we stop them from doing this? Or does the way Youtube works mean that once you’ve stuck something up on there, anyone can link to it? Ordinarily, as we have copyright on the video, if someone uses it without permission we lay the smack down on them. It strikes me that by sticking it on a public website which enables embedded linking we’re tacitly giving a licence to everyone to whack the Youtube vid up on their sites?

We’re pursuing the trademark route as well, as the videos contain our trademarks and it could constitute passing off, but I’m intrigued no the copyright point.

Any Youtube experts out there?

You can disable embedding on YouTube videos.

Also why not just make it clear on the videos who they were made by?

I suspect this is what they forgot to do. So if, having been left enabled, you subsequently disable it, any linking will die?



We did... Amazing the competitor decided to us the videos.

The best way I'd say would be to re-upload the videos and set them to 'only people with this link can view' that way they don't show in a general search on youtube. However that won't stop them if they find your website and get the link from there. It's about your only option. If you disable embedding that's going to stop them being viewable on your website as well.

I'd ask Mr Chris. He's the legal expert around here.

Hmm. Thanks - I'll add that into any suggestions. I'm not sure on why it's on youtube in the first place, to be honest.


Oh, hah. That's a no go then. Unless we stick them up in another format.

FAKE EDIT
Further info that's just arrived this morning whilst typing this response suggests that someone else got our video and uploaded it on youtube, so we'll be having a word with youtbe to get it taken down.

Is a bit free marketing and publicity such a big deal?

It's nothing of the sort, is the problem. It makes it look as if we're associated with a shitey little company. And shite rubs off, eh.

Hmm. I'd just take them off YouTube entirely - and ask for any unauthorised uploads to be removed - then put them on your own site using a proper video embedding plugin.

The thing about YouTube is that it's fairly ubiquitous, it'll play on pretty much anything, it also sorts out all the fiddly stuff for you too. Besides if you don't want someone to appropriate your videos then the only safe bet is to not put them on the internet at all.