There has been a lot of debate lately about whether or not you need permission to read a book on YouTube. Some people believe that it is a copyright violation, while others think that it is perfectly legal. So, what is the truth? In this blog post, we will explore the legality of reading books on YouTube and help you decide for yourself what is right for your business.
It depends. The answer is Yes, you need permission to read copyrighted books. And the answer is No, you do not need permission to read public domain books. Public domain material can be enjoyed without fear of infringement. Recently printed copies may earn an instant copyright strike, but reviewing them and reading extracts from these copyrighted works falls under “fair use.”
If the content of your video will primarily feature material from copyrighted books or other copyrighted media that you cannot reuse without express written consent from its rights-holder (most likely publisher), to get approval first.
Otherwise, reading copyrighted content illegally can cause issues down the road when people spot their work appearing in someone else online channels without credit. Thus, if a book is in the public domain and is free to use, then you can make as many videos as you wish including monetizing the video.
However, under the “fair use” policy, most publishers would likely be happy with YouTubers reading short extracts from books, perhaps in the context of reviewing them (and indeed this may not even require obtaining copyright licenses). Reviews help promote these works. But, if you read too much content or violate the fair use policy then you risk your video being taken down.
If you feel that indeed reading the book is what you need to do, contact the publisher department and obtain a license. Once you get the license you can read the book and create an audience with like-minded people.
How to Know if a Book Is Copyrighted
On the front pages of the book, you are likely to find a copyright page. If you see information almost similar to the below example, you should never read that book without getting license permission from the author or the person in charge. This is how a copyrighted book looks like:
Copyright © (year) (author name)
Every right is reserved. Except for brief quotations incorporated in reviews and certain other nonprofit uses permitted by copyright law, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For rights requests, please contact the publisher listed below (contact information for the publisher/author)
Can You Read Part of a Book on YouTube
Yes. Only if you read a public domain book, the author died 70 years ago, or if the book is copyrighted (and you do not have permissions) you may read a small part of the book for purposes of reviews. Otherwise, it is illegal to read chunks of someone else work without permission. You can read the whole book with permission.
Is It Legal to Record Yourself Reading a Book?
No. It is illegal to read copyrighted material without author consent. There are a few people who have the opinion that it is legal to read books aloud, but this may not be true. Recording yourself reading from copyrighted material without author consent leads to an infringement of copyrights and can result in liability for damages if performed commercially- even though there might exist some exceptions under fair use law which would protect your recording accordingly being utilized “for educational purposes.”
Fair Use is a defense to copyright infringement that allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission. The law provides no set number or percentage for what constitutes fair use, as each case must be evaluated on its facts and circumstances. However, if you are making money off the video then it may not qualify as being in Fair use due to too much abuse instead where there would otherwise have been none at all.
Furthermore, copyrights on books only last 70 years after the death of the author. So, when such a book is available, you can read the whole of it. Unfortunately, 70 years is a long time and most content may be outdated or may need some modifications.
Thus, why not get a copyright to read the most recent books legally. However, thanks to many great authors who have produced books for public domain use including the most recent version you may desire. Check it out and save yourself the hassle of copyrights.
Can I Read Children’s Books on YouTube?
No if that children’s book is copyrighted. What you’re proposing is essentially making an audio-book using the same words as the original text-based version of material without permission from copyright holders and distributors.
Changing formats won’t help because these actions still reproduce copyrighted material which is against law for individuals especially those who have no financial profit from its sale or distribution within America itself – only organizations like universities libraries etc., may distribute materials legally under certain circumstances depending upon how old they were made.
If you need to read children’s books on YouTube legally use public domain books, there are plenty and you will run out of options. Otherwise, uphold copyright laws including the “fair use” policy.
