[Jimbee (OP)]

I recently tried to watch something I uploaded to Youtube. And I found it was blocked by its owner on copyright grounds. I guess I can tell you. It was a clip from Shakespeare play that the BBC showed a long time ago. I was surprised that happened because had been up for a while with no problem. So I am not sure how that happens. Youtube gave it the copyright test, and it passed. But I guess someone still wanted it down.

So I guess you never know when that will happen. Then if you want that clip from the Shakespeare play up on Youtube, you just have to find another version, right? And the person who took it down, the BBC. They won't necessarily object to me showing other clips of their shows. I should just post it and see what happens then. Right?

Also, you know the BBC is a public service broadcaster founded by the UK government. I never heard of a government having a copyright, but I guess they do sometimes. And, I am not sure if the copyright holder you are dealing with is a government if that would change anything in anyway.

Like I said, I didn't even know that happened or how that works. Next time, just play by ear. Right?

[Bored chemist]

 I never heard of a government having a copyright,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_copyright

Anyway, the BBC was originally a corporation (I think it still is) and corporate copyrights areperfectly well established.

[Petrochemicals]

Probably because people are making lots of money by putting things on YouTube, inane garbage, stolen material, reacting to stolen material, discussing stolen material etc. Can't say I blame any copyright issue being taken down. It's hardly laughing baby or staring gopher any more is it.

[alancalverd]

The BBC is still a corporation. It is not funded by the UK government but by licence fees, sales of its output, and advertising fees on a couple of commercial TV channels owned by the BBC.. It is therefore entirely proper to object to transgression of copyright as denial of legitimate income from its intellectual property.

It is quite likely that a Shakespeare play will have been sold with exclusive US broadcasting rights to a US TV channel, You are lucky not to have been prosecuted by both corporations.

[Jimbee (OP)]

Thank you everyone for your advice.

I was also going to ask about idea of public domain. Anyone can use anything that is public domain. But what would always be that? As some of you pointed out, the BBC is a corporation. But what about universities and the some video they recorded? A public university is never a corporation. So how would that work for them?

[alancalverd]

Copyright is always presumed unless it is explicitly waived.  You can in principle be sued for breach of copyright by anyone who can prove to be the originator or rightful owner of something you have copied without permission, though the courts will generally not enforce judgement if the copy was for personal enjoyment only.

[Bored chemist]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limitations_and_exceptions_to_copyright
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_quote