[FAQ]

I’ve been seeing a lot of stories about streamers getting DMCA strikes for music or for watching videos, and it’s making me really paranoid about protecting my own channel. I try to be careful and mostly use royalty-free music, but I’m not sure what the exact rules are for everything else.

For example, what’s the policy on in-game radio stations in games like Fallout or Grand Theft Auto? Is that safe? What about watching a YouTube trailer or a funny clip with my chat for a few minutes? If I do get a warning, what’s the very first thing I’m supposed to do to handle it correctly without making things worse? I’m just looking for some clear best practices so I can stream without worrying about getting banned.

[Jeff Bullas]

Navigating copyright is a fundamental requirement of being a modern content creator.

Short Answer: The only guaranteed way to protect your stream is to not use any copyrighted material for which you do not have an explicit license. This means avoiding all commercial media, and if you receive a DMCA warning, you must immediately remove the offending content and consult Twitch’s official guidelines.

Let’s detail a risk-averse content strategy to minimise your exposure to copyright claims.

First, you must be ruthlessly diligent with your audio content. The safest practice is to exclusively use music for which you have secured the rights, either through royalty-free services like Epidemic Sound, tools like Soundtrack by Twitch, or from artists who have publicly granted permission. You should assume all commercial music is off-limits; this includes licensed tracks within video games, which you should disable if the game provides the option. Second, the same principle applies to the video content you broadcast. You should not show movies, TV shows, sports, or other copyrighted visual media on your stream. While some streamers cite “fair use” for reaction content, this is a complex legal defence, not a protection, and relying on it is a significant and unnecessary risk. Finally, if you do receive a copyright notification, your immediate action is purely procedural. You must promptly go through your content library and delete all VODs and clips containing the flagged material to prevent further strikes against your channel.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Author]

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