Twitch: Streamers served with DMCA notices for copyright music

Over the past weekend a big influx of DMCA requests have been served to Twitch.tv. Many streamers both large and small have been given notices that they have clips on Twitch that contain copyrighted music.

📢 This week, we've had a sudden influx of DMCA takedown requests for clips with background music from 2017-19. If you’re unsure about rights to audio in past streams, we advise removing those clips. We know many of you have large archives, and we're working to make this easier.
— Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) June 8, 2020

Here is a recap of events around this issue from the past to the present:

In 2014, Twitch created audio fingerprinting filters using a 3rd party to mute out copyright related issues from videos to protect Twitch, which also protects streamers engaged in using audio that they shouldn't be using.
Streamers who engage in using audio they shouldn't be using, thought they were safe.
The copyright agencies that use monitors found out twitch clips past a certain year didn't filter out audio such as videos do. So they used automation to scan old clips and find audio fingerprints that match their music database.
DMCA for old clips where then triggered based on fingerprint matching and sent to Twitch.
Twitch notified all channels of the DMCAs.
Many streamers who have been using copyright music are now deleting all their clips. Other streamers who are not up to date on all of this are just deleting all their clips as a safety precaution.

What is the take away from this weekends event for streamers?

It is pretty simple, do not use copyright content, music or audio that you do not have permission or license to use.

Majority of all games have settings to disable music, get in the habit of doing this before you start any new game for streaming on the platform.
Check with the games EULA/Youtube Policy/Video Policy to see if they have sections for streaming the game and monetizing it. Most games have this already inserted, but its always best to verify. Also note, that EULA's can change, one day it maybe ok and another day maybe removed.
Do not follow on what others do on the platform and think its ok since "everyone" is doing it.
Do not use any sort of main stream music in your broadcasts with out licenses or permission.
DO NOT THINK JUST BECAUSE TWITCH AUTOMATICALLY MUTES YOUR VIDEOS THAT YOU ARE SAFE TO CONTINUE TO USE MAIN STREAM MUSIC OR OTHER COPYRIGHT STUFF IN YOUR BROADCAST. Read this line 3 times to get it saved in your head!

Need more info on copyright law? Check out this past Twitchcon panel that goes over all the basics formatted for streamers.

Additional Information from djWHEAT interview with Noah Downs:

Quote: "There is a company out there that is monitoring most streams on twitch" - "They have the ability to issue live DMCA's but just havent done it yet."

Update 11/6/2020

A lot more issues with DMCA and clips have been occurring on the platform. Many additional streamers are getting banned for clips from long ago stream sessions. And there is additional issues with clips supposedly not totally being deleted from the system that maybe getting detected even though streamers have been mass deleting clips and videos.