New YouTube etcRules: A Question

If you link to a video where it looks like it was recored by a cam corder in the audience (grainy, unprofessional look) then it is an illegal bootleg.

If you link to a video and it looks like the Show Preview videos at BroadwayWorld.tv, then they are probably OK.

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I think it's more "if it's a video of you talking or messing about or singing thirty seconds or so of a song, then that's fine"

But is it? On a purely technical level, if that song is copyrighted, singing it or using it without permission in any way is a copyright violation, right?

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Updated On: 3/29/07 at 07:05 PM

That's why I said thirty seconds or so. I could well be misremembering this, but on a conversation long ago on these very boards, it was agreed that if you were putting up samples of you singing clips of songs on a website, up to thirty seconds or so was considered to be covered by Fair Use. Any more and it really did get into serious copyright issues.

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If that were true, wouldn't daretosing.com be in big trouble then?

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"If you link to a video and it looks like the Show Preview videos at BroadwayWorld.tv, then they are probably OK."

Umm.. unless it was posted by the show's producers, that would still be pretty illegal.

It still might be helpful if there were a few more specific guidelines, especially about the use of songs in videos, because common sense tells me that they aren't acceptable, but that's what's been flooding the boards since the ban was lifted.

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Updated On: 3/30/07 at 09:27 AM

But people don't know if it violates and furthermore, people don't care (see the "Youtube Theatre Videos Thread"). I would think posting people singing copyrighted songs is a violation, but it would seem most posters don't. That's why I was asking. I don't know why a clear cut answer can't be provided.

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Updated On: 3/30/07 at 09:32 AM

I'm not worried, just curious.

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You cannot leave these (very vague) questions of legality for your users to be the arbiter of.

BWW should either alllow all or none of Youtube posts then, it's irresponsible of the moderators to put the onus on the users, there is no way they can know or not know for sure, and then punishing them by singling them out is unfair as well.

It's a very "culture of fear" kind of thing to do, and I thought BWW was above that. It's a fairly cheap way of absolving BWW of the liability and placing the policing in the hands of the users, which just has users spying on other users about what they post after a while, and that's no way to build a community, even an online one.

And the legalty of it has already been decided. It is not illegal to LINK to copyrighted material, as I remember it.

And then there is this: What if someone doesn't post the actual video from Youtube but instead posts the search terms that will lead them to the video in question.

It's really academic, if you making linking to copyrighted material against the rules, then BWW should ban the search terms that lead to them as well, because they are basically links too. It's a slippery slope.

You can't punish a third party for whatever crimes you think Youtube might be guilty for.

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Updated On: 3/30/07 at 11:16 AM

I'm just bringing up issues that I have with this policy, I dont intend to break the rules, but know that your policy is flawed.

So I assume that if one posts the search terms that lead to a copyrighted clip on Youtube that is fine, as long as one doesn't post the actual link?

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Are you being sarcastic?

The guidelines have always been posted at top of the message boards via this link: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/guide.cfm


But in case you don't want to click, I've posted them below:

Please post with courtesy (and common sense) - no use of profanity, obscenities, or name calling.


No personal attacks - we all have different opinions - disagree with the view, not with the person.


For your own protection, please - no bootleg appeals!


Please don't post press releases... You can add them to our news engine here!


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Both my postings and another's postings about this policy including legitimate issues have been deleted without notice. There was no profanity, personal attack or other boad behaviour, just pointing out the flaws in the policy, but these posts have been deleted.


"We reserve the right to revoke posting privileges at any time, for any reason and without notice. We also reserve the right to modify or remove any post, topic or message for any reason, without notice or explanation. "

But no answer as to WHY those postings were deleted. We all know you can do whatever you want, but WHY delete posts questioning your policies? If they are that clear and common sensical, then why the subterfuge and deletion?

You saw there is no culture of fear here, Craig, but the moderators actions belie those previous exhortations.

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Updated On: 3/31/07 at 11:33 PM