How to clear a YouTube Content ID claim with a Pixabay license certificate

What is Content ID?

Content ID is a digital fingerprinting system developed by Google. It can be used by content creators to easily identify and manage copyrighted content on YouTube. 

Content creators can register their original work, including audio and video files, with the Content ID database. When a user uploads a video to YouTube, Content ID compares the newly uploaded video against files in the database and looks for any matches.

If the uploaded video matches content registered with Content ID, a copyright notice will appear, and the content owner (the owner of the copyrighted material) may choose to take certain actions, such as:

• Clearing the claim and taking no further action
• Tracking the video's viewership statistics
• Monetizing the video by running ads
• Muting the audio that matches their music
• Or even blocking a whole video from being viewed

How does this relate to Pixabay Music?

Many music composers, including those that share their work on Pixabay, have their content digitally fingerprinted via Content ID to help protect them against unauthorized uses. They also use some third-party platforms to administer and manage their content. 

What does this mean for your YouTube videos?

When a video that contains digitally fingerprinted Content ID music is uploaded to YouTube, a copyright notice will appear alongside the uploaded video on the YouTube Video Manager (this typically appears shortly after uploading).

A copyright notice does not mean that copyrights have been infringed. This shouldn't be confused with a YouTube "copyright strike,” and there's nothing to be afraid of. It's simply a notice saying that YouTube has detected Content ID-registered content within the video and that further information or action is needed.

A Content ID claim does not necessarily restrict you from using the music:

1) This isn't a copyright strike, so there is no penalty on your channel. It doesn't affect the channel ranking or ban the channel. You can find more information about the difference between copyright strike and Content ID here.

2) You can still use the music if you don't mind occasional ads, but you won't be able to monetize the video. If you want to monetize the video or don't want the ads, you need to contact the author of the music through their Pixabay profile and request that they remove the claim.

How to check if a track has Content ID

Contributors can now flag their tracks for Content ID on the Content Details page, so you can check which uploads are Content ID-registered. You can identify this on the track details page.

Please note that not all contributors may flag their tracks for Content ID so it's always a good idea to verify yourself, you can do this using the Youtube Creator Studio.

You can also now download a Pixabay Audio License Certificate to help clear Youtube Content ID claims. You can find this next to the download button, only when you're logged in. 

How to clear a YouTube Content ID claim with a Pixabay license

Clearing a Content ID claim on YouTube is a very straightforward process. You can remove copyright notices in the following ways:

• Dispute the claim. Dispute the claim via YouTube's built-in form and use a license file for the audio track you downloaded from Pixabay.
• Contact the author. Contact the author directly via their Pixabay profile page and send them a link to your YouTube video. This way, they can assist you with removing the claim as quickly as possible.

To clear a claim via YouTube, you just have to prove that you have the rights to use the music from Pixabay. In this case, our license file can serve as valid proof.

It all starts when YouTube detects a Content ID-registered track in your video. You'll see a red mark under Checks when the upload is done.

Click on the "Checks” tab for details. 

Then, click "See Details” to learn how exactly your video will be affected if you proceed with the upload.

Click "Select Action,” and a menu will appear. Under Do you have rights to this content?, click "Dispute.”

This will take you to the next step. Tick My dispute isn't based on any of the reasons above. I would still like to dispute this Content ID claim. 

Then, click "Continue.”

This will take you to the Select Type tab. Tick License: I have permission or a license to use the content claimed in my video, then click "Continue.”

You will then be taken to the Review Requirements tab. Tick the box for I have permission to use the content from the copyright owner.

This will take you to the last step, the Provide Rationale tab. Here, you'll need to copy and paste the license from the .txt license file you downloaded from Pixabay.

Next, if you agree, tick all three boxes under Please review the statements below and check the boxes to agree. Then, enter your full name in the Signature box and click "Submit.”

Once you submit the dispute, the claim will be cleared within 96 hours at most.

If any issues arise, contacting the author directly via their Pixabay profile often speeds up the process. And if you have trouble reaching the author, please contact us.