YouTube has launched a new programme to protect what it calls “some of the very best examples of fair use” from copyright takedown requests.

A number of video creators have complained about the abuse of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act’s takedown procedure to have valid criticism censored, or fair use of copyrighted content blocked.

When YouTube receives a takedown request, it immediately blocks the video from being viewed – allowing the creator to challenge the takedown.

This is costly for innocent creators, in terms of time and the advertising revenue lost.

For a handful of creators, YouTube has made an exception and offered Fair Use Protection.

Under the programme, YouTube indemnifies creators whose fair use videos have been subject to takedown notices for up to $1 million of legal costs in the event the takedown results in a lawsuit for copyright infringement.

“This ensures those creators have a chance to protect their work, and makes the entire creative world better by educating people on both the importance and limits of fair use doctrine,” said YouTube.

The videos offered this protection can only be viewed from within the US, though.

Four videos have been extended this protection:

“The videos featured above represent a minuscule portion of the number of copyright takedown requests we receive – they’re even a small percentage of the number of potential fair uses that are subject to takedowns.”

“YouTube is only able to offer Fair Use Protection to a small number of individual videos each year that we choose based on a variety of factors. We try to select videos that are most illustrative of fair use.”

More YouTube news

YouTube Offline launches in South Africa

YouTube Red – the ultimate YouTube experience

Highest-paid YouTube stars of 2015

We can’t filter all content: YouTube