Do I need to copyright a video before I post it to youtube?

[D.A.E]

Can someone steal my content after it is posted to YouTube? Can some one use my song after I posted it to youtube? Does youtube automatically copyright your content?

 

[Taxing Matters]

You have a copyright in your work from the moment you fix it intangible form. For a song, once you write it down or make an audio or video recording of it you have a copyright in the song. Registration is not required to obtain a copyright, but you do need to register it before you may enforce your rights in the work. You don't give up all your rights in the work by uploading it to YouTube. See a copyright lawyer for help in enforcing your rights against people using your song without your consent.

 

[FlyingRon]

TM is correct. However, there are some special additional rules for songs. Not so much an issue of YouTube VIDEO, but if you make anything that falls into the category of a "phonorecord" which covers most audio downloads. Here's a real nice overview of the whole copyright system as it applies to music:

https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33631.pdf

 

[quincy]

Can someone steal my content after it is posted to YouTube? Can some one use my song after I posted it to youtube? Does youtube automatically copyright your content?

Where do you live, D.A.E.? Are you in the U.S.?

YouTube offers several ways YouTube video-creators can protect their content from copyright infringers. You can read about the various copyright-protection tools in the following link: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9245819?hl=en