Copyright In The Age Of Digitization: Who Is Responsible For Publishing Copyrighted Content On Video Sharing Platforms?

Video sharing platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo and TikTok have become primary channels for the distribution of creative work, providing access to a wide range of user-generated content. Those platforms give significant access to cultural and creative works by creating opportunities to develop innovative business models within the cultural and creative industries. However, while facilitating the availability and diversity of content, they also pose legal challenges when copyrighted content is placed on platforms without the prior approval of the copyright holders. In this text, we explore who is responsible for obtaining permissions and paying fees when publishing copyrighted works on those platforms, shedding light on the resulting legal uncertainty in the process.