I'm looking for an answer from the support team regarding a general question on usage of the API. Am I right to assume that with existence of the API it is legally allowed to stream youtube videos via a third party video player which is operating via the youtube API?
Thanks for your help! Really much appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Patrick
Read the YouTube terms of service, specifically section 4(a)
You agree not to distribute in any medium any part of the Service or the Content without YouTube's prior written authorization, unless YouTube makes available the means for such distribution through functionality offered by the Service (such as the Embeddable Player).
Related
Does YouTube offer an API for third party platforms for ad creation and execution? I know YouTube has an ads reporting API available through Google Ad Words but I'm trying to find if we can build an ad serving API. I searched here and found someone said no but I can find little info on why or where they got this info.
The use case is for clients to create and launch YouTube ads from a third party platform via an API connection.
As far as Google Ads is concerned, you cannot build or mutate any video campaigns over an API. This has been an ongoing feature request for about as long as video campaigns first were introduced, but is still not available. See the latest answer on one of many corresponding threads in the Ads API forum.
Of course, you can also buy YouTube inventory over DV360. The current APIs (namely the obsolete BidManager API and the newer DV360 API) currently do not support the creation of TrueView line items, but there is write functionality in closed beta that should eventuelly support this use case. I'm not aware of any timeline for general availability, though.
i'm planning to create some app that use youtube-api.
Is it legal to use Youtube Data API to create youtube-like app that aggregrate youtube videos from any channel? even it is not my channel or my video? Can I (legally) monetize those app with Admob?
Your question is answered in the first paragraph of the YouTube API Terms of Service.
1. Is it legal to use Youtube Data API to create youtube-like app that aggregrate youtube videos from any channel?
The terms don't prohibit it, as long as the client is compliant with the ToS. So, yes, it is legal.
2. Can I (legally) monetize those app with Admob?
It depends.
You agree not to use the YouTube API for any of the following commercial uses unless You obtain YouTube's prior written approval: [...] the sale of advertising, sponsorships, or promotions on any page of the API Client containing YouTube audiovisual content, unless other content not obtained from YouTube appears on the same page and is of sufficient value to be the basis for such sales.
I'm not an expert in law questions, but what this says (imho) is that you may advertise your application if it does not solely contain YouTube content. In other words, your application has to extend the functionality of https://youtube.com, not recreate it.
In any case, you may not block or in any way alter in-player ads.
Conclusion
Based on the short concept of your app you posted in the question, I would say:
You may build "youtube-like app that aggregrate youtube videos from any channel", but
you may not advertise it, since it does not feature original content.
if you plan to publish this on app store please review the IOS Guide Lines
5.2.3 Audio/Video Downloading: Apps should not facilitate illegal file sharing or include the ability to save, convert, or download media
from third-party sources (e.g. Apple Music, YouTube, SoundCloud,
Vimeo, etc.) without explicit authorization from those sources.
Streaming of audio/video content may also violate Terms of Use, so be
sure to check before your app accesses those services. Documentation
must be provided upon request.
And this SO question
i am developing a online youtube video downloader in php . but i am afraid of blocking my Server Ip by youtube.
is there such restrictions by youtube ?
and if yes thenn how much requests i can do to youtube in single day ?
This information is available here:
https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/getting-started#quota
If you are downloading/re-distributing YouTube audio-visual content you are directly in violation of YouTube's Terms of Service. No matter the number of requests, take a look at these points mentioned in the YouTube Terms of Service:
access any portion of any YouTube audiovisual content by any means other than use of a YouTube player or other video player expressly
authorized by YouTube;
store copies of YouTube audiovisual content;
In any case, downloading YouTube videos or developing a tool to do so are definitely counted as Copyright infringement. To make it more clear, read this under Section III of the link provided above:
Compliance with Laws. You are responsible for complying with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, all third-party rights and
all YouTube policies. You shall not use the YouTube API in a manner
that violates such laws, rules and regulations, third parties' rights
or any YouTube policies or in a manner that is deceptive, unethical,
false or misleading. For avoidance of doubt, You shall not distribute
or provide access to applications You develop in contravention of U.S.
export control or trade laws.
Hence, developing such a tool will hold you in violation of the YouTube ToS and (action including but not limited to) definitely get your IP blocked.
However, if you plan on making a different tool that provides legal usage of the API, here is a Quota cost calculator that can be used to determine what kind of requests can be made and how much they'll cost. And the link provided by Mike shows the daily allowance of the YouTube API.
So I have a video product that I am about to start selling. Once people pay, they will be able to download the videos, or ideally stream it via YouTube.
But...I don't want them to be able to share the link with every Tom, Dick and Harry.
I know that an unlisted video can still be made public, so that won't work for me. But apparently there can be 'private videos' too.
Where can I learn more about this in the API docs? Or what is the best way to approach this? Especially given that I don't want them to have to have a Google+ account.
Ideally, they should be able to login to my app, and watch the embedded videos there. But they should not be able to share the direct YouTube link.
I know they can always share their account info, that's fine...I will do other things to keep track of and monitor that. It's really the anonymous sharing of the YouTube link I am worried about.
Thanks.
Read the API terms of service and check with your legal folks. Specifically, you will want to make sure that your sale of private content uploaded to YouTube is in compliance with #2 in the Terms of Service:
You agree not to use the YouTube API for any of the following
commercial uses unless You obtain YouTube's prior written approval:
the sale of the YouTube API, API Data, YouTube audiovisual content or
related services, or access to any of the foregoing;
I am a bit confused about the YouTube API's term & conditions. If I create an app for users to download only their own videos. Is that against the terms and conditions?
I know downloading other people content is definitely prohibited, but is it the same for your own videos? Since user can go to their video manager and download their own videosm this would be only a short-cut?
Anyone knows can/cannot do this? I was thinking of using this library http://ytdownloadextension.codeplex.com/
Any guidance would be appreciated,
Covo
Seems like YouTube already allows you to do that, so I'd say it's legal:
Download your videos
You can’t download other people’s YouTube videos, but ...
You can download MP4 files of videos that you’ve uploaded to YouTube in either 720p or 360p, depending on the video size.
See Download videos that you've uploaded.
I don't think so the Terms of Service of Youtube or the Terms of Service of the API allows you to do so:
Excerpt of Youtube ToS (5. K):
you agree not to access Content or any reason other than your personal, non-commercial use solely as intended through and permitted by the normal functionality of the Service, and solely for Streaming. "Streaming" means a contemporaneous digital transmission of the material by YouTube via the Internet to a user operated Internet enabled device in such a manner that the data is intended for real-time viewing and not intended to be downloaded (either permanently or temporarily), copied, stored, or redistributed by the user.
Excerpt of the API ToS (II. 11):
store copies of YouTube audiovisual content;
Both, state in a very clear way that neither the user nor applications built using the API can "store" content, which is a very direct statement that disallows you from giving such an option in your app. Now, whether Youtube does give its users an interface to download their content or not is an argument out of sequence here as Youtube don't need to follow their own ToS, in other words, it's up to them to give their users such an option, but you can't give it to the users of your app.
I suppose you need a special permission from Youtube to give such an option in your app.
Yes. You can definitely download your own videos from YouTube as it is your own content so you have full rights to it as the creator of the videos.