YouTube is rolling out another tool to help creators detect and report infringements of their copyright, this time by detecting re-uploads of original content.

The new tool is called “Copyright Match”, and it works by using your source video to find subsequent uploads which are the same or similar. When the tool finds a match, the content creator will be able to choose whether or not to take action – users will be able to either get in touch with the other creator or request that YouTube remove the video.

The option sounds similar to YouTube’s existing Content ID system, though it is slightly different.

As explained by YouTube:

“The new tool does use similar matching technology used by Content ID, but Copyright Match is uniquely designed especially for YouTube creators who have problems with unauthorized re-uploads.”

I mean, that still sounds very similar to Content ID, but YouTube specifies that it does serve a different purpose. Either way, through the combination of both measures, you now have more ways to protect your original content on the platform.

As video becomes a bigger part of social networks, it’s important for the platforms to add copyright protection measures to encourage more use by prominent creators. Facebook has its own system for detecting duplicate across both its main platform and Instagram (now more important with the arrival of IGTV), while other platforms have experienced various issues with copyright infringements, particularly relating to major sports events and re-broadcasts of pay-per-view content.

As we move into the next phase of on-demand video content, you can expect more stringent detection measures and options like these to come into play, which is great news for creators.

YouTube's new Copyright Match tool will begin rolling out to creators with more than 100k subscribers from next week, with a full rollout to be determined based on performance.