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I found a website that lists a lot of videos and you have to pay to watch the videos. However, many of the videos are from youtube and are free to watch on youtube.

The website owner claims that "When we display this content, we do so in YouTube players where all credit and revenue of any video view accrues 100% to the creator and the platform." For the purpose of this question, assume that claim is true.

I'm wondering if what the owner says really makes it legal: charging money for youtube videos created by other people as long as the embedded youtube player is used.

I have read existing questions like this, but it is only about embedding youtube videos, not touching on the issue of charging money for the videos. The distinguishing feature of the present question is that here, money is being charged. I have no reason to think one way or the other that this feature would make a difference: I am asking simply if it makes a difference. The law (especially copyright and related licensing) often distinguishes between commercial and non-commercial activity and I just don't know whether it does in this circumstance.

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  • That's all up in the ToS and contract with Youtube.
    – Trish
    Commented Oct 4 at 13:30
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    It's generally not illegal to charge for providing a product or service, even when a person could find a way to obtain it themselves for free. (bookstores sell books that can be read for free at a library) So, what is unique about this that makes you think it might be illegal?
    – Michael Hall
    Commented Oct 4 at 15:46
  • It sounds like they're charging for the service of curating the content and helping you find videos.
    – Barmar
    Commented Oct 4 at 15:57
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    @MichaelHall 1) If reusing YT videos without charging merits a question (see linked question), charging is one step more so. 2) They are profitting from contents created by other people without explicit permission from the creators.
    – Betty
    Commented Oct 5 at 9:07
  • I will confess I didn't read the linked question, but regarding #1, I agree, so why didn't that answer it for you? What is the missing ingredient that makes this a good separate question vs being closed as a dupe?
    – Michael Hall
    Commented Oct 5 at 15:01

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