Watch videos that don’t have sound. YouTube has recently muted hundreds of videos. This move came as a response to the demand of Warner Music Group to cut access to their video after a stalled licensing agreement. This is an effort of the company to balance YouTube users generate content for the site and the music copyright holders.

In the previous cases YouTube took the videos down if any music label issued any copyright claim. The uploader could do two things- dispute the claim or replace the videos with one from the approved library of videos using YouTube’s AudioSwap tool.

“Music licensing can get very complicated, but we try to make your experience as simple as possible,” YouTube’s blog said. “We want you to have options when uploading videos with music in them. And if your video is subject to a copyright claim, you should have some choices, too.”

Now YouTube will not remove the videos but will offers users the option of modifying it by replacing it with a new version.

What is the reaction from the users?

Many of the users are angry and that is evident from the messages left on YouTube blog. They are not happy with the measures YouTube has taken with the videos starting from ads on the videos, deleting videos, and putting videos on mute. Some are even calling for a boycott of the music industry and buying only second hand music records. Some are calling for a boycott of the online music downloading and music stores.

See some of the user reactions -

“Okay, so YouTube is going to suck more now. First they put ads on a bunch of good music videos … They already were horrible at deleting the right videos, deleting videos that did nothing wrong. And while all that goes on, they leave videos that should be deleted, alive. Now this …”

“We can’t stand by silently while the music industry continues its decades-long effort to lock up our culture! Only buy audio CDs secondhand from now on … Don’t download from online music stores anymore. Support self-marketing bands. Spread this message here on every muted video you encounter.”

Related posts