The immediate answer is "no" you cannot use other people's content, without their express written permission. Now there is a clause under "fair use," where others' media can be used for "parody, criticism and educational purposes." But it is a grey area, and can still put you at risk for a lawsuit for copyright infringement. On YouTube, you will find many other channels uploading content that does not belong to them. That does not mean you can get away with it though. Plus, they're most likely not earning any money from those videos and I'll explain why. YouTube has a "Content ID" system in place where the original creators can claim videos that have been uploaded to other people's channels without their authorization or consent, and intern, they can claim the money those videos' views generate. This includes both audio and video.
So, you can have a video uploaded to your own channel that doesn't make any money because someone else has claimed the video, which has their original content within it. However, they can also ask YouTube to block the video from being broadcasted, and issue your YouTube channel a copyright strike. If your YouTube channel receives three copyright strikes, your YouTube account and Adsense account gets shut down and closed forever. Plus, they will not allow you to make a new one.
I promise you, if you use other people's content....it will get claimed. It's not a matter of if, but when.
Then there is always the possibility that someone will take you to court and sue you for using their content. It doesn't happen often, but it's still a possibility.
Many MCNs and agencies have licenses to use a lot of viral content in videos. You may can acquire are a licensed through them, but they would be entitled to a percentage of your earnings, which can be a lot.
However, you are allowed to make response videos to these different trending videos, in order to generate subscribers and views. Try to make unique content, that is an honest expression of you. Whatever you're good at, it might be singing, rapping, dancing, or just talking....whatever it is, there is more than likely some people out there, who want to know about it.
Check out my channel and subscribe!
https://www.youtube.com/ThrillerALi
Original Article From: https://www.quora.com/profile/Drew-Reyes-1