“ANI Finds Business Niche In Copyright Claims Against YouTubers”, 19 May 2025

The news agency is using a chink in YouTube’s copyright policy in India to shut down news content producers if they don’t cough up large sums for using its videos and visuals.…

..facing the aggressive copyright claims of ANI, which has adopted a new strategy to punitively leverage YouTube’s copyright policies in India to generate revenue. Using the death clause in YouTube policy and India’s vague provisions for fair use of copyrighted material, ANI is effectively forcing YouTube creators to buy expensive year-long licences. The agency’s approach is to negotiate pricey licensing deals with YouTubers, including several who are strong critics of the BJP, even as YouTube holds a sword over the content producer’s channel for multiple claims of copyright violation. ..The Collective spoke to three other YouTubers who have signed or are in the process of signing a deal with ANI after receiving copyright strikes. ANI initially quoted between Rs 15 lakh and 25 lakh to these YouTubers to revoke the strikes. We reviewed the Youtubers’ correspondence to confirm that ANI has made such demands. Industry insiders told us of at least three others who had complained to peers that ANI was asking for exorbitant sums, which in at least one case went up to Rs 40 lakh.

..ANI might be following a business it understands to be legal and fair, the episode has raised larger concern about copyright laws and the fair use rights in India by content producers who are worried about being squeezed out of their livelihoods – sometimes wiping out years of labour to build a community – between YouTube’s policies and copyright owners willingness to play hardball.

..We sent a list of detailed questions to ANI pertaining to the reported assertions, claims and facts of the story. It did not deny any of the claims or assertions. Neither did it answer the specific questions. It instead shared a general statement defending its policies and practices. It said: “In any society governed by the rule of law provides for punishment for theft. ANI invests heavily in original news gathering, with bureaus across India and abroad and significant resources deployed in real-time content production. As the exclusive copyright holder of its content, ANI has the sole legal right to communicate its work to the public or license its use. “Enforcing these rights—through mechanisms like YouTube’s copyright policy or legal action—is not extortion. It is the lawful protection of property, as guaranteed by copyright law. Anyone disputing our rights is free to seek legal recourse,” ANI said.

..YouTube’s spokesperson said, “We work hard to balance the rights of copyright holders with the creative pursuits of the YouTube community. It’s not up to YouTube to decide who “owns the rights” to content, which is why we give copyright holders tools to make copyright claims and uploaders tools to dispute claims that are made incorrectly.”

..this was not entirely true. YouTube does take the first judgement call on such claims and then leaves it to the creator to dispute it or strike a deal with the claimant. YouTube shared a brief of its copyright policies with us, which contradicted the publishing giant’s quotable statement. The grey zone of Indian copyright laws and YouTube’s policy in India muddies the waters and gives ANI an additional bargaining chip.

..discrepancy can be seen in what and who YouTube publicly claims that it will protect. YouTube, for instance, clearly states what content categories qualify for copyright exemptions in both the US and the EU. For certain American YouTubers, the company also provides a legal fund of up to $1 million to fight copyright cases in court. For India, YouTube has been ambiguous in stating its obligations for content creators.

..ANI didn’t answer our question on why its content used by Indian content producers on YouTube channels does not fall under “fair dealing” as defined by the Indian Copyright Act.