YouTube, K-Pop, and the Emergence of Content Copycats

Authors

Sam Quach

Abstract

YouTube is the internet’s largest and most recognized video streaming platform; the website has millions of daily active users from all over the world and hosts billions of videos. With so much content being hosted on the website, YouTube has developed basic protocol when it comes to copyright issues, including a standardized system for dealing with copyright infringement. But with such a large audience and technology constantly growing and changing, YouTube is constantly faced with new problems. Among content on YouTube, Korean entertainment and pop music (commonly referred to as K-Pop) has quickly become one of the largest markets, with videos garnering billions of views in the past few years. However, a new type of content infringement has emerged in the web media industry, with YouTube channels stealing web articles from digital publishers—especially K-Pop entertainment websites—and uploading them as their own content.

While YouTube’s system of detecting and removing infringing content has been able to protect content creators with traditional video and audio media, there is now a glaring need for YouTube to address these new copyright infringement issues. As the K-Pop industry continues to grow and expand internationally, more and more channels are emerging and uploading videos using content by digital publishers. As this issue continues to grow and become more apparent, YouTube must address this issue for the integrity of its business and as a leader in the industry.

Recommended Citation

Sam Quach, YouTube, K-Pop, and the Emergence of Content Copycats, 41 UC Law SF Comm. & Ent. L.J. 77 (2019).
Available at: https://repository.uclawsf.edu/hastings_comm_ent_law_journal/vol41/iss1/4