YouTube Copyright School

YouTube Copyright School
Episode type	Instructional video
Date	March 25, 2011
Character(s)	Russell Lumpy Toothy Sniffles Cuddles Giggles Petunia Narrator

YouTube Copyright School is an educational video on YouTube that teaches the viewer about copyright infringement and YouTube's Content ID system. The video appears if the uploader receives a copyright strike in which they have to answer a quiz on facts relating to copyright. The video contains the Happy Tree Friends characters, most notably Russell and Lumpy. The plot revolves around Russell learning about the copyright system after illegally recording Lumpy and the Lumpettes The Movie. An unseen narrator assists Russell and the viewer about copyright infringement and the Content ID system. The section with Lumpy teaches viewers how to take down videos that infringe their copyright. The video is intended for general audiences, so there is no blood and gore. While there is violence, it uses slapstick violence, such as in the final scene where piranhas attack Russell, where he is still alive and appears to have no significant injuries during the scene. English text also appears, which is unusual for the Happy Tree Friends series.

The development behind the video is unknown though there is a similar collaboration with YouTube 101, a series that taught viewers about YouTube with one on subscriptions. YouTube Copyright School also appears in the Fan Fest, despite it presumably not being fan-made.

Synopsis

YouTube: Russell learns some valuable lessons about the consequences of copyright use.

Happy Tree Friends website: Follow along with Russell as he pirates his way through copyright school, learning to stay out of the brig and not lose his booty!

Plot

Russell and Lumpy are in a movie theater watching a film about the Lumpy and the Lumpettes band. Russell illegally records the film when an offscreen voice tells Russell that what he is doing is illegal. When Russell is at his home, the narrator says he could be sued and lose his money. Russell gets a copyright strike and gets notified in an email. The narrator mentions that Russell will get his YouTube account banned if he repeats his offenses two more times. The narrator soon suggests that Russell make an original video.

Russell goes to a live concert of Lumpy and the Lumpettes playing their song. Russell tries to record the performance, but the narrator warns him. Russell then makes a remix of the song with original animation. The narrator admits his use is clever but states he needs permission to use the song. Soon, a fair use screen crushes Russell with the narrator reading it, informing the viewers about fair use while Russell tries to push it back.

The scene switches to Lumpy, shocked to see a remix of his song. He angrily takes the video down.

The narrator tells a distraught Russell that he can tell YouTube that the takedown was an error. When Russell attempts to dispute it falsely, the narrator warns him that he could end up in court and get sued. Russell soon realizes his errors and tries to make an original video.

Russell makes an original song where he juggles piranhas on a pirate ship while inside a cannon. The narrator congratulates Russell for making an original video. Eventually, a piranha would bite Russell's hand, which he accidentally fires out of his cannon, destroying the boat. Russell floats back to the surface, only for piranhas to come and bite him.

Injuries

• Russell vomits after the symbols move around during the scene where the narrator describes copyright.
• Russell occasionally gets hit on the head by a gavel, presumably from the narrator.
• A fair use sign crushes Russell when the narrator describes fair use.
• A piranha bites Russell's hand, which causes him to be shot out of his cannon, destroying his boat. After he floats to the surface, piranhas attack him.

Survival rate

• Amount of surviving main characters: 8
• Amount of dead main characters: 0
• Total Rate: 100%

Destruction

Russell's boat splits after he shoots himself out of his cannon.

Notable mistakes and errors

• When Russell uses the smartphone with his hook, he scratches his phone. However, the scratches are gone when he uploads the video.
• Lumpy's antlers change directions once.
• There is a typo in one of Lumpy's comments for Russell's video, "Vaudeville at it's finest!" It's should be its, though this could be an in-universe typo.

Quotes

• "Everybody's really been looking forward to the new video from Lumpy and the Lumpettes. Even Lumpy!" - The narrator
• "Hey, Russell! You didn't create that video! You just copied someone else's content!" - The narrator
• "Uploading someone else's content without permission could get you into a lot of trouble--it may be copyright infringement." - "YouTube Copyright School"
• "Copyright is a form of protection for original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, graphic, and audiovisual creations." - The narrator
• "Copyright infringement occurs when a copyrighted work is reproduced, distributed, performed or publicly displayed without the permission of the copyright holder or the legal right to do so." - The narrator
• "Even though YouTube is a free site, you can get in serious trouble for copyright infringement. You can be sued and found liable for monetary damages. You could lose your booty! Or worse, you could lose your YouTube account!" - The narrator
• "If YouTube finds you're a repeat offender, you'll get banned for life!" The narrator
• "In the United States, copyright law allows for the fair use of copyrighted material under certain limited circumstances without prior permission from the owner. Under the law, determinations of fair use take into account the purpose and character of the use, the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount and substantiality of the work used in relation to the work as a whole, and the effect of the use upon the potential market for the copyrighted work. Other jurisdictions may have similar copyright provisions protecting fair use or fair dealing. If you are uncertain as to whether a specific use qualifies as a fair use, you should consult a qualified copyright attorney." - The narrator
• "That's more like it! By singing an original song, you're creating your own content. When you make an original video, you're the owner of your own copyright, and you have the right to post it to YouTube. Original content is what makes YouTube interesting. Start creating your own, and who knows? Your video could explode!" - The narrator
• "If you're still unsure about copyright issues, YouTube has some resources as a starting point. For more information, click the link for 'Copyright' at the bottom of every page." - The narrator

Reception

As of October 1, 2022, YouTube Copyright School has about 72,000 likes and about 166,000 dislikes.

References to other episodes

• "Banjo Frenzy": the backdrop for Lumpy and the Lumpettes The Movie resembles the backdrop depicted in this short, albeit with less rough linework.
• "YouTube 101: Subscriptions: The video appears as a thumbnail during the scene where the video gets taken down by Lumpy.

Trivia

• Russell being the one who illegally records Lumpy and the Lumpettes The Movie is a pun because Russell is a pirate. As a result, he is pirating a movie.
• The video uses the original Happy Tree Friends intro and the season two pop-ups despite Season 3's later updated pop-ups.