The streaming industry continues to draw more creators and viewers with no foreseeable end in sight, but the business model is going through its share of growing pains. Copyright strikes and content-related bans have stirred up controversy on Twitch and YouTube, but a forthcoming competitor namedGalaxisclaims to feature systems that may help alleviate those issues. While there’s no magic bullet for every streaming woe, if Galaxis delivers on its premise thenTwitchcould have a serious competition.
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Automated Copyright Licensing
Streams pose a daunting challenge to copyright holders whose material may be used without consent, but the current “solution” to the problem is inelegant at best. In the current model,rights holders issue DMCA or other cease-and-desist notices to Twitchand YouTube in broad swathes, resulting in bulk takedowns of content. As a result, streamers must painstakingly alter and reupload videos, often with little information regarding what content triggered the strike. Gallardo seeks to ease the problem by making it easier for creators to form contract with rights holders.
“By using our technologies, people that own the copyright can get a portion of the profits automatically. Which means that if you don’t earn any money, you don’t have to worry, and neither does the person who owns the copyright.”
Few streamers can sample the music or other media they want due to a somewhat archaic licensing paradigm. The legal framework for licensing music and other copyrighted media was built around securing licenses for film and television. The costs associated with those legacy media is prohibitive for most streamers, however, and the process for securing rights is both lengthy and occlusive. As a result,streamers like Asmongold are calling for overhauls to copyright law.
Making it easy for creators to select from a catalogue of popular media could go a long way to combat the problem. A new model of licensing, embedded within a streaming platform, could allow copyright holders and streamers to profit simultaneously, without fear of bulk takedowns. Admittedly, there is nothing to stop streamers from ignoring Galaxis' media menu in favor of self-selected copyrighted material, but even then the platform presents a potential solution. According to Gallardo, rights holders can either block the content until the contested media is edited out of the video, or they can initiate a license negotiation with the channel holder.
Prioritizing Penalties Over Bans
Another frequent source of controversy in the streaming industry is account bans. After repeated content infractions, streamers are eventually barred from the platform. It’s a common sense solution in theory, but determining what content crosses the line is a highly subjective endeavor.Such measures also typically offend fansof the banned streamer. Consequently, Gallardo believes that comprehensive bans are a bad move for streaming companies.
“I think that anybody who makes a mistake can correct it. I think banning a channel is a mistake. As a corporation you make people very mad at you. It’s kind of like if a child makes a mistake and you say ‘F*** you, child! I’m not going to be your parent anymore.'”
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Truly egregious content can earn channels a year-long ban on Galaxis, but only after a creator fails a three-strikes system similar toYouTube and Twitch’s current copyright policyfor permanent account bans. This seems like a creator-friendly move, though it remains to be seen if a community rating system can adequately censor objectionable content.
Content Controversies
Another common sticking point in the streaming industry is risque content.Hot tub streams, and certain ASMR streams are notorious for getting content creators in hot regulatory waters. On Galaxis, such infractions will be handled by users submitting nudity points to a channel, which will drastically restrict a channel’s available advertising opportunities according to Gallardo.
Gallardo said “porn is inevitable,” however, andadult content purges like Tumblr’s 2018 banrarely turn out well for the services that enforce them. The Galaxis platform does not purport to solve the problem, but Gallardo and his team will apparently launch a sister company specializing in an adult content, which he said is comparable to OnlyFans with a streaming business model.
Galaxisis currently seeking funding to fuel its prospective Q1 2022 launch.
