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So how can the Twitch ecosystem (Twitch itself, creators, Big Music, game companies) move forward with DMCA? Let's summarize based on what we know and what people have said.
(Another thread? Yes, another thread.) 1/x
(Another thread? Yes, another thread.) 1/x
Let's start easy and add difficulty.
Content Creators
1. If you're going to save archives to Twitch, don't play any music on stream. No Spotify, no Apple Music you bought, keep it out of alerts.
In-game music? Keep reading.
2/x
Content Creators
1. If you're going to save archives to Twitch, don't play any music on stream. No Spotify, no Apple Music you bought, keep it out of alerts.
In-game music? Keep reading.
2/x
2. Turn off archiving to Twitch and record locally.
Downside: This means no Videos, Clips, or Highlights on Twitch. Also means adding more storage at home. More editing time.
Upside: No sweating out DMCA scans on Twitch.
3/x
Downside: This means no Videos, Clips, or Highlights on Twitch. Also means adding more storage at home. More editing time.
Upside: No sweating out DMCA scans on Twitch.
3/x
3. In-game music: Turn off music in the game's menu. Definitely do not use any in-game radio feature or expect to play music from games like Guitar Hero, Just Dance, or even Halo.
4/x
4/x
Now on to what businesses can do to help you because this is an ecosystem that should support each other in a positive way.
(I call the rest of this thread: Don't hold your breath.)
5/x
(I call the rest of this thread: Don't hold your breath.)
5/x
(paraphrase from @Lowco2525)
4. Game companies: Provide transparency regarding streaming rights for your game's music. Give creators a setting to disable copyright music in-game. Help make it easy and safe to stream your games.
6/x https://twitter.com/Lowco2525/status/1327311157586255872
4. Game companies: Provide transparency regarding streaming rights for your game's music. Give creators a setting to disable copyright music in-game. Help make it easy and safe to stream your games.
6/x https://twitter.com/Lowco2525/status/1327311157586255872
5. Big Music: I'm not even going to bother with this one. Big Music is a protection racket that was built to make music executives rich.
7/x
7/x
Now on to Twitch to finish it off.
6. Video/VOD: Build a decent VOD product! (let's try to keep focus here because Twitch has failed miserably at monetizable VOD.)
6a. VOD Deletion: Make sure the deletion system respects the expectations of users AND the music industry.
8/x
6. Video/VOD: Build a decent VOD product! (let's try to keep focus here because Twitch has failed miserably at monetizable VOD.)
6a. VOD Deletion: Make sure the deletion system respects the expectations of users AND the music industry.
8/x
Twitch admitted that 50+ people have been DMCA suspended because Twitch's VOD deletion system didn't work properly! This "oops" is unacceptable. Content creators who complied shouldn't have to lose money because of your crappy engineering. Give these people $500 each.
9/x
9/x
6b. Since DMCA is being enforced against VODs, then build a creator product that allows the claim to be against the offending VOD and not the whole channel! Give creators the ability to remedy/counter a claim on a per video basis.
10/x
10/x
7. Twitch DMCA system:
7a. See 6b. Force a distinction between Live and VOD. If VOD, then just the VOD and not the whole channel.
7b. Whitelisting. Have an actual means to whitelist licensed music/rights IN ADVANCE.
11/x
7a. See 6b. Force a distinction between Live and VOD. If VOD, then just the VOD and not the whole channel.
7b. Whitelisting. Have an actual means to whitelist licensed music/rights IN ADVANCE.
11/x
8. Copyright Free Music. Make a better system than Soundtrack. This has to be built with an "accepted theory of music licensing" ( @cyrusphall) that doesn't draw the ire of Big Music this time. (Ask pretty much anyone that knows Music rights. Soundtrack isn't very good.)
12/x
12/x
9. Make the Big Music License deals. FB, YT, TikTok understand the value of user generated content and have made the investment. (And hey, they make pretty good ad revenue, so like maybe they're doing something right here?)
13/x
13/x
You've spent the past year courting musicians to Twitch (hi Logic
big fan!), so clearly this is now a core focus of the business, so Big Music is definitely not going to let you get away with trying to make money in Music without paying them.
14/x
big fan!), so clearly this is now a core focus of the business, so Big Music is definitely not going to let you get away with trying to make money in Music without paying them.14/x
10. Stop hiding behind DMCA safe harbor using your content creators as human shields while you try to get coy dealing w/ Big Music. While you're (failing at) negotiating & your tools aren't working or weren't built for this moment, people's livelihoods are at stake.
15/x
15/x
So let's just do all of that. Let's summarize.
1. Protect your damn creators.
And that's it. Until next time...
FIN
1. Protect your damn creators.
And that's it. Until next time...
FIN
