YouTube Housecleaning: What Happens When All the Faves Are Gone?

It's fairly obvious that YouTube is trying to clean up its act in light of the Viacom suit, clearing out any potential copyright issues. But when prominent YouTubers are impacted, does the seemingly overzealous housekeeping cause more damage than it helps?

Seesmic CEO and popular YouTube user Loic Lemeur found himself on the wrong end of a YouTube copyright issue lately. On July 18, Lemeur's YouTube account was suspended due to alleged copyright violations. The content in question? Interviews with Lemeur on French television programs that he'd been given permission to share with his viewers. Rather than simply removing the content, YouTube suspended Lemeur's entire account. Even with the amount of industry pull and heavy-hitter friends one would assume Lemeur could call on to help in this situation, over a week later, he still doesn't have his account back, with YouTube not only refusing to replace the content that isn't in question, but insisting that Lemeur provide them written authorization to have posted the videos from each of the questioned videos.

Possible copyright infringement isn't the only issue YouTube appears to be focused on, however. A new video from cult YouTube star Chris Crocker (of Leave Britney Alone quasi-fame) declares that the eccentric Crocker is leaving YouTube for his own web site. Unlike Lemeur, Crocker has never achieved partner status, even with over 12.7 million views of his 50 videos and over 169,000 subscribers to his channel. Crocker's new site is currently at ShareNow (or via the URL mschriscrocker.com), and he cites YouTube's promotion of other cult favorites on the site while passing him over for events or partner status as a driving force for his exodus. Crocker's irreverent videos may not be family-friendly fare with his cross-dressing and profanity-laden videos, but it seems like YouTube could be embracing an alternative market segment. At 12.7 million views of original content, it seems like Crocker's account would be ripe for monetization.

YouTube seems to be missing the boat with both YouTube users, and potentially offending two large segments of their audience base. Ironically enough, a quick glance at Crocker's favorite videos include multiple videos that appear to be blatant copyright violation, including music videos and television clips posted by other YouTube users.