YouTube is making billions showing ads on pirated versions of hit shows: Report

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According to a recent study, it’s alleged that YouTube has placed advertisements from well-known companies and political groups on unauthorized video content. This revelation has sparked significant worries regarding potential copyright infringements and the clarity of advertising transparency.

Based on a comprehensive report by Adalytics spanning over 300 pages, it appears that YouTube has been displaying premium advertisements on unauthorized videos of well-known films and television series, which also include content from Netflix and significant Hollywood production houses. The report suggests that YouTube may have been deliberately ignoring this issue.

It’s been reported that advertisements from the Trump National Committee, Procter & Gamble, Pizza Hut, JPMorgan, and General Motors were displayed alongside or preceding pirated media content. For instance, a Trump campaign ad was shown on an unauthorized version of Top Gun: Maverick, while Olay ads were broadcast before a Russian-language rendition of Squid Game on Netflix.

During the month of June, unauthorized clips from the 2025 movie “Sinners” were broadcast with commercials for Pizza Hut and General Motors, as well as political advertisements supporting Trump’s campaign. These ads also appeared alongside illegal college football games featuring a 2024 matchup between Colorado and Colorado State.

According to the report, it’s estimated that these videos may have amassed more than a billion views in total, and possibly even multiple billions of times when advertisements were shown.

YouTube accused of ‘pocketing money’ from ads on pirated content

Speaking as an ardent admirer, I’m sharing insights from my past role as a marketing executive, specifically when I was overseeing paid media at Quote.com. In a conversation with The New York Post, I voiced my observation that YouTube appeared to be earning substantial returns from its ad placements.

He stated, while gesturing, that they’re keeping the funds and carrying on their activities. He noted that it was puzzling how small, obscure foreign channels with little audience were quickly accumulating large amounts of advertising budgets within a short span of time.

Garcia asserted that up to half of Quote’s advertising budget appeared as ambiguous “Total: other” entries in YouTube’s analytical reports, with no discernible categorization. A presentation given by Garcia to YouTube exposed approximately $300,000 in ad spending that could not be traced. Afterward, YouTube granted a $50,000 credit, but did not provide an explicit admission of error.

A representative from YouTube addressed the report, stating that their Content ID system had marked the infringing videos and suspended the involved channels. “When we discover channels that frequently upload content not rightfully theirs, we shut down those channels,” the rep explained. “If ads were appearing on this content, we refund the advertiser.

In 2024, YouTube reported that its Content ID system flagged approximately 2.2 billion videos, with more than 90% of these instances resulting in the rightsholders electing to monetize their content instead of removing it.

Despite the fact that Adalytics’ report indicates YouTube’s automated systems and oversight might be insufficient, it seems the platform could still be making profits from piracy, potentially disadvantaging both advertisers and content creators in the process.

Indeed, it’s stated within the report that certain YouTube channels, which share pirated content such as entire episodes of Family Guy and Disney films, have still been honored with YouTube Creator Awards.

Simultaneously, the video platform owned by Google has been exploring new methods to display advertisements to its audience.

Beginning in June, YouTube informed its Premium Lite users that they will start encountering ads within their Shorts content. The platform is strategically utilizing artificial intelligence to position these advertisements during emotional peak moments within the videos, capturing the viewer’s highest level of engagement.

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2025-07-14 21:48