Youtube and Copyright

Photo Courtesy of Jurgen Appelo via
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   I had a great question from a teacher the other day about what is ok to post into Youtube and what isn't, in terms of copyright.  Youtube will block content you post if they determine there is a copyright infringement.  This particular teacher had purchased a song from iTunes and wanted to use it in a video she created to model a research project for her students.  She was under the impression that because she purchased the song on iTunes, she now had the rights to include it in a Youtube video.
   Thankfully, Youtube has created a number of helpful, student and education-friendly videos explaining copyright in Youtube.  The videos are helpful and fun, although mostly geared towards an adult audience.  I've embedded their video on Copyright Basics below.
   Youtube also developed a series of incredible (again, geared towards adults) videos dealing with starting a Youtube channel, creating "watchable" videos, and generating subscribers.  These videos, on the Youtube Creator Academy Channel, utilize current Youtube stars and people that understand the meme and viral video industry.
   Finally, the teacher and I determined that just because you purchase a song from iTunes, it doesn't grant you the copyright to the song.  However, copyright does allow you to use a song in special circumstances, and you can check those circumstances here.