TL;DR
- Tyler Chou, founder and CEO of Tyler Chou Law For Creators, helps YouTube creators navigate minefields like cease-and-desist orders and copyright claims.
- Chou’s YouTube channel, “Tyler Chou The Creators’ Attorney,” attracted 31,000 subscriptions in its first year. She helps creators build out their businesses, using YouTube as their creativity incubator and as the marketing arm of their business.
- Chou spoker at NAB Show as part of the Creator Lab in a conversation with “Inside the Creator Economy” editor and publisher Jim Louderback, “Legal Landmines on Social Media: What Every Creator Needs to Know NOW!”
- The session explored the legal traps that many TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and other creators unwittingly fall into, as well as hot-button issues like copyright infringement, fair use controversies, the ever-changing FTC disclosure requirements, and the hidden dangers in brand deals.
What do you do if you get a cease-and-desist letter, a copyright claim from a rights holder (either directly or from YouTube), or a copyright strike from YouTube?
Some of the scariest parts of being a creator is receiving a C&D letter or copyright claim/strike. What do you do?
“Well, first of all, do not panic. Sometimes letters are sent and they might not be the rightful rights holder or maybe the violation or infringement has been corrected,” says Tyler Chou, founder and CEO of Tyler Chou Law For Creators, a law firm whose mission is to protect and support big creators on YouTube.
As for the copyright claim or strike, because each situation is different it depends on the facts, but bring your facts to Chou and she can guide you.
“Legal Landmines on Social Media: What Every Creator Needs to Know NOW!” was presented by Chou as part of the all-new Creator Lab at this year’s NAB Show. She explored the legal traps that many TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and other creators unwittingly fall into in a session moderated by Creator Lab host Jim Louderback, editor and publisher of Inside the Creator Economy.
Learn about protecting IP, understanding contracts, and navigating the legal landscape of digital content creation. Also discover the shocking legal truths behind viral content and learn how to protect yourself, your creative output and your company from unscrupulous brands, agents, platforms and “partners.”
In 2022, Chou started her YouTube channel, Tyler Chou The Creators’ Attorney, and quickly grew to 20,000 subs within three months and upwards of 31,000 in her first year. She helps creators build out their businesses, using YouTube as their creativity incubator and as the marketing arm of their business.
“I am more than an attorney — I am my clients’ confidante, coach and biggest cheerleader,” she says.
Previously, Chou spent 15 years in Hollywood as an attorney for Disney, Skydance and BuzzFeed, as well as at a large law firm where she was on the talent team of big names like Tom Hanks, Marisa Tomei and Robert Rodriguez.
“After protecting studios and companies for 15 years, I did not feel like I was doing meaningful work… that changed anyone’s life, directly,” she explains. “I was tired of protecting the big studios and production companies who took advantage of creatives.
“And, I wasn’t directly representing creatives, the real reason why I went into entertainment law.
“So I walked away, even though it’s scary and hard building my own law firm, each day I wake up excited and it finally… feels right!”
Chou says what she does now — protecting creators — finally aligns with her values.
“Creators show us, courageously, that we do not have to be handcuffed to a soul-sucking nine to five corporate job because someone, or society told us to as children. We can walk away from a job, quit and start a YouTube channel and share our story,” she says
“And creators create based on their own stories, with their phone or camera without a studio, streamer or network to tell them whether or not their stories are worthy of being picked out of development hell and will be produced against great odds.
“Creators are taking back the power and they create without anyone telling them no.”
However, that doesn’t automatically mean creators can escape from the clutches of big business. And, as any human and as any business big or small, they can make mistakes.
Chou has made it her mission to be their guardian angel.
“Creators are the soul of humanity. Who must be protected at all costs. And I am honored to pick up the sword and shield to protect all creators.”
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