Highlights
ANI copyright strikes shake YouTube India’s creator base
Creators face lakhs in copyright penalties for short news clips
Fear rises as other news agencies may follow suit
YouTube’s inaction raises questions about platform responsibility
Creators call for a transparent licensing deal between YouTube and ANI
Introduction, The Battle Between Copyright and Creativity
The Indian content creation community is facing one of its biggest threats yet. In May 2025, Asian News International (ANI) launched a series of copyright strikes against YouTubers, setting off a storm that’s still raging across digital platforms. Many creators have found themselves facing channel deletion, demonetization, or demands to pay up to ₹40 lakh all for using short snippets of news clips in their videos.
But as the dust settles, the conversation is shifting. It’s not just about ANI anymore. It’s about YouTube — and its silence.
Shouldn’t the world’s largest video platform be doing more to protect the creators who drive its success?
What Triggered the ANI Copyright Strikes?
The controversy erupted when YouTubers particularly those covering news, politics, and commentary started receiving copyright takedown notices from ANI. The strikes were often for using clips as short as 9 seconds.
While creators argued that their videos qualified as fair use, ANI held the legal upper hand. The agency owns its content and is well within its rights to enforce copyright laws.
But here’s where it gets tricky the penalties were astronomical, with demands ranging from ₹15 lakh to ₹40 lakh per creator. Many saw it as an unfair, surprise attack, especially given the lack of clear licensing guidelines or public pricing for creators.
The Real Issue: Lack of Licensing Transparency
Most creators aren’t against paying for content. They understand copyright. They understand value. What they don’t understand is:
Why are there no pre-set rates for YouTubers?
Why are licensing terms hidden behind closed doors?
Why are creators being threatened with deletion without a chance to negotiate?
One digital rights activist put it bluntly
> “This isn’t enforcement. It’s daylight extortion — creators are being forced to pay massive penalties without ever being told what the rules were.”
And that’s the core issue. Not legality. Not fair use. But transparency
YouTube’s Role: The Missing Piece
This entire crisis exposes a gaping hole in YouTube’s content protection policies. The platform has left creators to fend for themselves while it quietly collects ad revenue off their videos.
Let’s not forget
YouTube takes a 45% cut from creator revenue.
It benefits from every video, every view, every ad impression.
Yet, when it comes to copyright strikes creators are left on their own.
This is no longer sustainable. YouTube must act.
What YouTube Should Be Doing, Now
Experts and creators are calling for YouTube to do exactly what it already does with music labels and film studios:
Negotiate umbrella licensing deals
Create a YouTuber-specific usage framework
Introduce affordable pricing tiers
Offer revenue-sharing options
For example
Allow creators to use up to 30 seconds of ANI content per video
Share a portion of video revenue with ANI
Flag violations before issuing strikes
Offer a simple, public rate card for content use
If YouTube can do this for global record labels like Universal and Sony, why not for Indian news agencies like ANI?
The Bigger Fear: Who’s Next After ANI?
This isn’t just a one-off incident. Industry insiders say that ANI’s move could trigger a domino effect:
PTI
IANS
TV news channels
Even entertainment news brands
Once they see ANI successfully enforcing copyright and demanding high penalties, they’ll follow suit.
Creators fear a future where they need 10+ licenses just to stay online. That’s not freedom. That’s a slow suffocation of the creator economy.
The Impact on Independent Journalism & Free Speech
This crackdown doesn’t just hit reaction videos or commentary. It affects independent journalism, satire, and political critique all of which rely on referencing real-world news footage.
If YouTube doesn't step in
Critical voices will disappear
New creators won’t take risks
Political and social commentary will vanish from the platform
And guess who wins? The big networks. The corporations. The already-powerful.
What Creators Are Asking For
YouTubers don’t want freebies. They want fairness. Here’s what they’re demanding
1. Clear guidelines on content usage
2. Fair and public pricing for news footage
3. Licensing bundles for small creator
4. Time to respond before strikes permanently affect channels
5. YouTube-led negotiation with news agencies
As one popular political YouTuber put it:
> “We’re not dodging the rules. We just don’t know what they are. Give us clarity — and we’ll pay.”
If YouTube Doesn't Act: What’s at Risk?
Thousands of small creators could vanish
India’s independent creator economy could shrink
YouTube itself could lose the trust of its user base
It’s a ticking time bomb — and YouTube holds the key to diffusing it.
YouTube, The Ball Is in Your Court
The ANI vs YouTubers episode has sparked an urgent debate around copyright, creator rights, and platform accountability. And while ANI may be enforcing the law, the responsibility to create a sustainable ecosystem lies with YouTube.
YouTube must step up or risk watching its creator-driven empire start to crumble.
Creators have spoken. The next move is yours, YouTube.
FAQs
Q1. Is ANI within its rights to issue copyright strikes?
Yes, ANI legally owns its content and has the right to protect it.
Q2. Can small creators afford ANI’s licensing fees?
Currently, no. The reported fees are too high for small or mid-level creators, with no tiered pricing in place.
Q3. Why should YouTube negotiate with ANI?
Because it already negotiates with music and film industries. It can offer a structured, transparent system that protects both rights holders and creators.
Q4. Will other news agencies follow ANI’s example?
Likely yes. That’s why a scalable, platform-led solution is urgently needed.
Q5. How can creators stay protected?
Until YouTube takes action, creators should avoid using unlicensed news content, or seek permission directly from copyright holders.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The views expressed are based on public information and expert opinion as of the time of publication. For legal concerns or copyright disputes, readers are encouraged to consult with a qualified attorney. Join us at Rooh-E-Seemanchal.in for more in-depth coverage, digital rights analysis, and updates on the evolving creator economy.
