How copyright works

Copyright is a legal right that protects original creative works — videos, films, music and sound recordings, photographs, artwork, software and written works — from the moment they are created and fixed in a tangible form. In most countries you don’t need to register a work for it to be protected.

Copyright protects the expression of an idea, not the idea itself. Facts, names, titles, short phrases and general concepts usually aren’t protected by copyright (though some may be protected by other rights, like trademarks).

Crediting the owner, saying “no copyright intended”, buying a copy of the work or only using a few seconds does not, by itself, give you permission to use someone else’s work.

Many countries allow limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as commentary, criticism, parody, news reporting, research and teaching. In the United States this is called fair use; elsewhere it may be called fair dealing or have other names.

Whether an exception applies depends on the facts. Courts typically consider:

1. The purpose and character of the use — is it transformative, adding new meaning or commentary, or does it simply copy the original?
2. The nature of the original work — using factual works is more likely to be fair than using highly creative ones.
3. The amount used — borrowing small portions is more likely to be fair, although even a small part can be too much if it is the “heart” of the work.
4. The effect on the market — does the use replace the original or harm its value?

We can’t decide fair use for you. If you’re unsure, consider getting advice from a qualified professional.

• Create original content, or use material you have a license for.
• Use music and sound effects from sources that clearly allow reuse on KolBo, and keep a record of the license.
• If you remix or react to others’ work, add substantial commentary or transformation of your own.
• Get written permission from the owner when in doubt.

If you own the copyright in a work (or are authorized to act for the owner) and believe it is being used on the Service without permission, you can submit a copyright removal request. A complete request includes:

• Your contact information and your relationship to the copyright owner;
• A description of the copyrighted work;
• The URL of each KolBo video or other content you believe infringes;
• A statement that you have a good-faith belief the use is not authorized, and that the information in your request is accurate;
• Your legal name as a signature.

Removal requests are legal notices. Submitting false or abusive requests may lead to your account being suspended and may have legal consequences.

We review every request. When a request is valid, we remove the content and notify the uploader, who receives a copyright strike. Strikes expire after 90 days if the creator completes copyright training. A channel that receives three copyright strikes is terminated.

If your content was removed

• Wait for the strike to expire after 90 days.
• Ask for a retraction — contact the person who claimed your video and ask them to withdraw it.
• Submit a counter notification — if you believe the content was removed by mistake or misidentification, or your use is covered by an exception. The claimant then has a limited time to show they have taken legal action; otherwise the content may be restored.