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8 reasons why councils shouldn’t rely on YouTube for streaming public meetings

Many councils and government organisations across Australia and New Zealand use YouTube to stream and store their public meeting videos. It’s convenient, widely recognised, and basic accounts are free. However, most councils are unaware of the potential risks of this approach until they encounter issues like content removal, inappropriate advertising, or unauthorised use of their videos by YouTube. These challenges are all permitted under YouTube’s Terms of Service (TOS).

If your council uses YouTube for streaming and storing public meetings, when was the last time you or your legal team reviewed those terms and assessed the risks?

Don’t worry — we’ve done the hard work for you.

Read on for eight critical reasons to reconsider YouTube as a streaming platform for council meetings. This publication references YouTube’s Terms of Service as of 15 December 2023, accessed in August 2024.

Reason #1: YouTube wasn’t designed for government use

YouTube’s TOS states its purpose is to “allow you to discover, watch, and share videos and other content, provide a forum for people to connect, inform, and inspire others across the globe, and act as a distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers.”

Notice anything missing? There’s no mention of government or public service. YouTube is a social media platform built for entertainment and profit, not for supporting councils or public policymaking.

Public meeting videos don’t align with YouTube’s business goals — they don’t attract advertisers or the audience YouTube’s advertisers target. For YouTube, government meeting videos are “dead weight” content, meaning there’s no financial incentive to cater to councils’ needs.

Reason #2: You share ownership of your content with YouTube

When councils upload videos to YouTube, they grant YouTube a license to use that content. According to the “Rights You Grant” section of YouTube’s TOS:

“By providing Content to the Service, you grant to YouTube a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable and transferable license to use that Content (including to reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works, display and perform it) in connection with the Service and YouTube’s business.”

In short, councils and YouTube share “joint custody” of the content, and YouTube can use it for its own purposes.

Reason #3: YouTube can monetise your content

By uploading videos, councils authorise YouTube to make money from their content. This includes placing ads before, during, or after videos, or charging users to access them. Worse, YouTube doesn’t share any of this revenue with councils.

Even if you delete your videos, YouTube retains the right to monetise them for a “commercially reasonable time.”

Reason #4: YouTube can remove your content without warning

YouTube operates under its own TOS and Australian laws, not under any public sector obligations. It can remove content at its discretion, as outlined in its “Removal of Content by YouTube” section.

Content removal is governed by YouTube’s “Community Guidelines,” which aim to prevent harmful or inappropriate material. However, these guidelines often lead to unintended consequences for council videos.

YouTube uses AI to flag potential violations, but these systems frequently misinterpret legitimate public discourse as prohibited content. Even human reviewers make mistakes, and once content is removed, it’s difficult to have it restored.

Reason #5: Restoring removed content is an uphill battle

If your content is removed, the appeals process is lengthy and often unsuccessful. YouTube’s “three strikes” policy can result in your channel being terminated after repeated violations, even if they’re unintentional.

Reason #6: YouTube doesn’t provide the best experience for your community

While YouTube is easy to use, it’s not designed to meet the needs of councils or their communities. Here’s why:

  • Inappropriate ads and recommendations: YouTube’s algorithm often places unrelated or inappropriate ads alongside council videos. For example, a discussion about environmental policies might be paired with ads for unrelated products.
  • Ad-blockers violate YouTube’s TOS: Viewers must sit through ads unless they pay for a YouTube subscription.
  • Google account required for subscriptions: Residents need a Google account to subscribe to your channel and receive notifications, which can deter engagement.
  • Accessibility issues: YouTube’s closed captioning accuracy is only 60–75%, falling short of the standards required under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA).

Reason #7: YouTube is free, but you get what you pay for

While YouTube is budget-friendly, it comes with significant trade-offs. Councils need reliable, accessible, and professional solutions to ensure their communities are well-informed and engaged.

Reason #8: Limited control over video storage

Many video solutions store files on platforms like YouTube or Facebook, subjecting councils to third-party policies. Granicus, however, offers server space owned by Granicus, giving councils full control over their content.

A Better Way

Granicus offers built-for-government video solutions tailored to the needs of councils in Australia and New Zealand. Here’s how we’re different:

  • Content ownership: Your videos remain 100% yours.
  • No ads or monetisation: Viewers won’t be interrupted by ads or required to create accounts.
  • Accessibility: Our captioning accuracy exceeds YouTube’s by 20%, ensuring compliance with the DDA.
  • Ease of use: Post videos directly to your website with a single click, and allow residents to jump to specific agenda items with video indexing.
  • Integration with social media: Share videos on platforms like Facebook while maintaining your website as the primary viewing destination.

Granicus understands the unique challenges councils face in engaging their communities. Our solutions are designed to make your job easier while delivering a professional and accessible experience for your residents.

Contact us today to learn more about our video solutions!