Explaining Twitter's Terms of Service that YouTubers Should Be Aware Of

Many YouTubers use social media platforms like Twitter to increase their view counts and channel subscriptions. By tweeting links to their YouTube videos and having those tweets spread, they can expect a significant increase in traffic. However, it’s important to be aware of Twitter’s terms of service to avoid unknowingly violating them and facing consequences such as account suspension.

In this article, we will explain the terms of service that YouTubers should be aware of when using Twitter.

Benefits of YouTubers Using Twitter

Many YouTubers create social media accounts to increase their video views and introduce their videos on social media. Among them, Twitter is a recommended social media platform for YouTubers due to its retweet feature, which makes it easy to spread content, and the ability to play videos directly.

Furthermore, you can introduce the content of your videos in short sentences. If you can accompany it with catchy text, you can increase the number of views with a single tweet. On Twitter, you can easily communicate through the reply function and the ‘like’ button, so you can expect to increase your followers through interaction with fans.

Points to Note When Using Twitter

So, what should YouTubers be particularly careful about when using Twitter? Let’s take a closer look at the points to note based on Twitter’s terms of use and other regulations.

Prohibition of Unauthorized Reproduction

On Twitter, it is prohibited to reproduce others’ posts without permission.

Users who wish to reproduce, modify, create derivative works based on, distribute, sell, transfer, publicly display, publicly perform, transmit, or otherwise use the Service or Content on the Service, except as permitted by the terms set forth in the Twitter Service, these Terms, or https://developer.twitter.com/ja/developer-terms[ja], must use the interfaces and procedures provided by us.

Twitter Service Terms of Use[ja]

Unauthorized reproduction on Twitter refers to:

• Tweeting the same content as someone else’s tweet as if you wrote it yourself
• Saving and posting photos posted by others without permission

This is considered. If you use the quote retweet or embed feature, it is considered that you have used the “interfaces and procedures provided by us” in the terms of use, so it does not constitute unauthorized reproduction.

Unauthorized reproduction not only violates Twitter’s terms of use, but also constitutes copyright infringement, so there is a risk of being sued for damages by the copyright holder or being penalized. Absolutely stop unauthorized reproduction on Twitter.

For more information on copyright infringement on Twitter and Instagram, please see the following articles.

Prohibition on Creating Derivative Works of Content

It is not permissible to use videos and photos posted on Twitter without permission to create videos for YouTube. The terms of use quoted in the above “Prohibition of Unauthorized Reproduction” stipulate that “if you wish to create a derivative work, you should use the interface and procedures provided by Twitter”. Therefore, creating derivative works without using the quote retweet or embed functions is prohibited.

Furthermore, creating derivative works without the permission of the copyright holder constitutes a copyright infringement. It is advisable to refrain from using videos and photos posted by others to create videos for YouTube.

Prohibition of Purchasing Followers

Purchasing followers on Twitter is prohibited under the “Policy on Platform Manipulation and Spam”.

Policy on Platform Manipulation and Spam[ja]

In 2020, Yusaku Maezawa made headlines when he tweeted, “I will give away money if my followers exceed 7 million.” There were claims that this distribution of money might violate this policy. However, according to IT media NEWS, who contacted Twitter Japan, they stated that “if the distribution is done by lottery, it does not violate the policy.”

About Music Copyright

If you are using music in a video or if music is included as ambient sound, you must be careful about the copyright of that music. When uploading a video using a song managed by JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers), you need to obtain individual permission from JASRAC.

JASRAC has a licensing agreement with YouTube, so no procedure is necessary if you only post on YouTube under certain conditions. However, if you also upload the video to Twitter, you need to go through the procedure.

JASRAC Frequently Asked Questions[ja]

For more detailed explanations about music copyright that YouTubers should be aware of, please refer to the following article.

https://monolith.law/youtuber-vtuber/sing-song-copyright-youtube[ja]

Summary

If your Twitter account is suspended or deleted for violating the terms of service, not only will you lose credibility, but you will also have to go through the trouble of re-registering your account and increasing your followers. Additionally, while your account is suspended, you may not be able to promote your YouTube videos, which could potentially lead to financial losses. Depending on the content of your YouTube videos, there may be other points to be careful about besides the ones mentioned above.

If you are a YouTuber considering using Twitter or are already using it, it is reassuring to consult with a lawyer who is knowledgeable about YouTube-related legal matters before any problems arise.

Guidance on Measures by Our Firm

Monolith Law Office is a legal office with high expertise in both IT, particularly the Internet, and law. In recent years, we have been handling many advisory cases for YouTubers and VTubers, who are becoming popular online. The need for legal checks in channel operation and contract-related matters is increasing. At our firm, lawyers with specialized knowledge are taking measures.

Please refer to the following article for details.