As a creator, if you are scared of YouTube strikes, don’t sweat it! Today, we will teach you everything about YouTube strikes to keep your channel safe. A YouTube strike can make all your efforts go down the drain and tarnish your YouTube career. You obviously don’t want that. So, let’s get you equipped to dodge those strikes and, if you’ve got any, know how to resolve them like a pro!
What is a YouTube Strike?
When users break YouTube rules or community guidelines or use copyrighted material, they receive a warning called YouTube strikes. These strikes mainly include copyright infringement or guideline violations. The consequences users have to face vary depending on the type of violation. Generally, users may receive a warning, a temporary suspension, or a permanent ban. In some cases, they may even have to pay a penalty.
Types of YouTube strikes
There are certain types of YT strikes you must know in depth to understand what to do when receiving a strike on YouTube.
Community Guidelines Strikes
A community guideline strike occurs when you violate YouTube’s policies, such as spamming, deceptive practices, and sensitive or violated content. Creators are expected to lose their content, temporarily or permanently restrictions on their account, and also face a ban.
Copyright YouTube Strikes
A copyright strike on YouTube occurs when you use someone else’s YouTube content without asking for permission or informing. You usually tend to receive violation strikes from the copyright owner. When a user receives a strike with a copyright claim, YouTube immediately removes the video, restricts monetization, and terminates the channel after three strikes.
What leads to YouTube strikes?
As we have seen, content gets strikes if it violates two primary categories: copyright infringement and community guidelines violations.
Creators are aware of these parameters and take specific precautions against them. Still, the content can get a copyright strike.
Still, what actions in your content can lead to YouTube strikes?
Irregularity in Review Process
YouTube uses automated and human reviewers. Each piece of content is assigned a unique content ID, and when the YouTube system detects the content ID in different pieces of content, it can strike those videos.
Mostly, these strikes happen to reviewers or gamers. As they use content from other parties, even if they follow the guidelines and use content selectively, the automated system can still misinterpret it and lead to copyright strikes.
False Use of Strikes
Several companies use copyright strikes to manage their social image. They use strikes to remove content with negative reviews about their products. Which is also a common reason for YouTube strikes.
Violation of Fair Use Agreement:
Creators can use some portion of content from other users. However, this creates a fine line between copyright infringement and using content fairly. The bots can flag this type of content if they are not appropriately optimized and does not follow the policies.
How YouTube’s Strike System Works?
YouTube strike involves four main steps:
Strike Issuance
YouTube informs the creator about the strikes through the mail and explains why the strike was given and which content was affected.
Notification Process
YouTube strike system involves automated and manual reviews to detect the violated YouTube content and ensure it is flagged promptly.
Strike Expiration
Strikes expire within 90 days if you stop violating further guidelines. However, continuing can lead your channel toward termination (mainly after three strikes) and a permanent ban.
Penalties
Every strike contains a different level of penalties. The first strike will restrict your ability to upload content for a week. The second strike extends the restriction for two weeks—the third strike permanently removes your channel or the content.
What are the consequences of YouTube Strike?
YouTube strikes can have a negative effect on your channel growth. Hence, you need to follow the community guidelines and focus on creating original YouTube content to avoid setbacks. Firstly, YouTube strikes affect the algorithms. These strikes can lead the algorithms to believe the channel is not authentic. The channel will appear less in search engine results.
A YouTube strike reduces a channel’s visibility and reach. Even though you can bring your channel back on track after the strike expires, it can take ages to recover from the loss.
A significant downside for your channel could be losing your community’s trust and subscriber base. When you violate a community guideline and your content or channel is penalized, your viewers will know about it.
This can impact their trust level, and they might unsubscribe from your channel. So, no matter whether you violated the guidelines knowingly or unknowingly, ensure to ask for apologies from the copyright holder and your viewers.
How to Resolve YouTube Strikes?
The YT strike system embodies various resolution methods for different types of violations. Here, you can recover your channel from copyright and community guideline strikes.
The most common practice before resolving the YT strikes is to increase the channel’s engagement. This tells the YouTube algorithm and search engine that the channel is genuine. Many creators use YouTube promotion tools to increase their visibility. Simply promoting YouTube content helps increase channel engagement.
YouTube Copyright Strike Resolution
A copyright strike lasts for 90 days. If it was your first strike, you need to complete the copyright schooling so that you understand more about the policies.
You are provided a counter-notification option if you believe your videos have been removed by mistake or there’s any misconception. This is a legal way to restore your videos. After you counter-appeal, YouTube will restore your video if the copyright owner doesn’t respond within 10-14 days.
Another way to restore your video is by directly contacting an individual or the company that issued the strikes and requesting a retraction. In many cases, the other party agrees, and the YT strike is removed.
YouTube Community Guideline Strike Resolution
Like copyright strikes, you can appeal the issue in case of community guideline strikes if you think the strike was a mistake. If things turn out to be in your favor, the strike will be removed.
The first time is always neglectable. You only receive a warning with no penalties. But the warning stays on your channel, and any future violation will instigate the strikes.
This YT strike lasts for 90 days only if you do not violate any guidelines and adhere to YouTube policies.
Conclusion
YouTube strikes are usually related to the guidelines and copyright claims. Depending on the situation, they both have different resolution methods. These strikes cause YouTube to send warnings, remove your content, or permanently terminate your channel. To keep your channel away from unwanted strikes, follow the community guidelines and focus on creating original content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can You Still Monetize Your YouTube Channel if You Receive a Copyright Claim?
Maybe. It depends on your activity while in the restriction phase. If you adhere to the rules you are asked to follow, you should have the freedom to monetize your videos.
Q2. How long does a YouTube strike last?
The first strike is a warning. Although a YouTube strike usually lasts 90 days, it can vary based on past violations. If a channel receives three strikes within 90 days, then it can be permanently removed from YouTube.
Q3. How many reports can get you banned on YouTube?
Reporting a channel or content doesn’t directly result in a ban on YouTube. However, it flags the channel for potential violations of community guidelines and Copyright strikes.
