Record labels have a new target: streamers and gamers
Since 2007, YouTube has relied on an algorithmic system known as Content ID to police copyright on the platform, a system that works by comparing a database of copyrighted video and audio to newly uploaded videos. Livestreams are similarly scanned for third-party content, something that can result in a full copyright strike and the deletion of an account once a user reaches three strikes.
For those attempting to make a living off of streaming platforms, a strike on their account could be disastrous. Penalized with a 90-day streaming ban, the livelihoods of streamers are ultimately controlled by an algorithm.Twitch had once offered a royalty-free music library as a way to combat the problem. The curated collection of 500 songs was first made available in 2015 to use in the background of streams for free. But these, too, were subject to muting as its catalog evolved.