AT least two YouTube channels featuring pro-independence content have been disabled due to copyright strikes from the BBC.

Wings Over Scotland reported that its channel had been suspended with no warning and despite having no copyright strikes prior to this.

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Peter Curran also reported that his videos were being removed as a result of takedown requests by the BBC.

A Wings Over Scotland blog on the suspension said: "What appears to have happened is that the BBC has gone on a crusade against pro-independence sites, suddenly launching mass takedown demands.

"Our videos are all in full compliance with fair-use laws. You are absolutely allowed to record and reproduce clips for news-reporting and discussion purposes.

So we, and you, can only speculate as to why the BBC wants to close down pro-independence sites hosting clips of Unionist politicians – and the BBC itself – saying incriminating or embarrassing things."

Curran tweeted: "The #BBC has now ended my #YouTube_channel - or any YouTube channel by me (YT has also blocked my #MoriduraAlt channel, which has no political clips). This is UK's public broadcaster, in the name of #profit (ostensibly), claiming #copyright on news and the words of politicians.

"You'll never again be able to say "Missed that programme - but maybe #Moridura clipped it ...

"I await some indication of support from #SNP #MPs and #MSPS over the #BBC shutting down my YouTube channel by a sudden rash of #copyright_strikes. Many of them regularly used it over its 9-year life: some have gained a useful additional and extended life of clips from it.

"I've been meticulous in checking and acting to avoid copyright strikes after #STV hit me out of the blue with copyright strikes in Aug/Sept 2014. resulting in 6 month loss of privileges at a crucial time (indyref1). I have monitored and acted appropriately on all copyright claims.

"I'm in #Catch22 over #BBCcopyright_strikes on my YT channel. Since I can't access my channel, I can't verify or dispute the accuracy of the alleged breaches. To my knowledge and belief, I acted within the rules on all notifications from Google, never monetized, disabled embedding."

It is not yet clear how many other accounts have suffered the same fate.

On copyright strikes, YouTube say: "If you receive a copyright strike, that means that your video has been taken down from YouTube because a copyright owner has sent us a complete and valid legal request asking us to do so.

"When a copyright owner formally notifies us that you don't have their permission to post their content on the site, we take down your upload to comply with copyright law."

The BBC said: “Whenever we receive complaints about large volumes of our material being posted or used without authorisation we look to take action to protect our copyright. This action is normally limited to asking for individual videos to be removed and the BBC did not ask or demand for these whole channels to be taken down. That was a decision for YouTube alone.

"We act irrespective of the political views of the infringing YouTube channels and have taken action against the use of our material by individuals or organisations from across the political spectrum. There is a standard process in place if these channels wish to challenge the take down orders and we will consider any representations carefully.”