Millions of invalid or intentionally false copyright ownership claims were filed with YouTube in the first half of 2021, according to a first-of-its-kind copyright transparency report published by YouTube. These claims represent about 14 percent of more than 720 million copyright claims reported to YouTube from January to June 2021, most of them filed using YouTube’s “Content ID” system. The report also indicates that less than 1 percent of all claims were disputed by the uploaders, and of those only 40 percent were resolved in favor of the claimant.

YouTube creators have long criticized YouTube’s strict approach regarding enforcement of copyright claims, which often results in blocking videos, muting audio, or revoking ad revenues. This new report, expected to be published annually, illustrates the problem.