YouTube’s Stance on Fake Footage and Trailers

As the summer blockbuster and Comic-Con footage season approaches, YouTube is taking decisive action against channels that profit from fake footage and trailers. This move comes as no surprise, given the increasing prevalence of such content on the platform.

The Reason Behind YouTube’s Action

After receiving numerous reports about online creators, such as Screen Culture, generating substantial revenue from fake trailers, YouTube has begun to demonetize these channels. This marks the beginning of YouTube’s efforts to remove channels that utilize AI-generated content from its partner programs. The platform has changed its stance on handling the misrepresentation of major movie IP on its platform. In a statement shared with Deadline, YouTube explained, "Our enforcement decisions, including suspensions from the YouTube partner program, apply to all channels that may be owned or operated by the impacted creator."

The Impact on Fake Trailer Channels

Screen Culture and its associated channels, Screen Trailers and KH, have consistently grown in popularity by deceiving online audiences with cinematic concept visuals that mimic real trailers from major movie studios. The channels have created fake trailers for major blockbuster IPs, including Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, as well as numerous other upcoming movies that do not yet have official trailers.

The Consequences of Fake Trailers

Prior to YouTube’s move, studios were able to earn ad revenue from channels that created AI-heavy copies of their content. However, this trend was criticized by SAG-AFTRA, which argued that it enabled the exploitation of actors’ talents and worth. The union stated, "Monetizing unauthorized, unwanted, and subpar uses of human-centered IP is a race to the bottom. It incentivizes technology companies and short-term gains at the expense of lasting human creative endeavor."

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