Reaction Videos and Copyright Law

Anyone who incorporates third-party video excerpts into their own reaction videos on YouTube must clearly and conspicuously state the source, making it easily discoverable.Failure to do so invalidates the right to quote (LG Frankenthal, judgment of April 29, 2025, ref.6 O 269/24).

Are Reaction Videos Protected by Quotation Rights?

the plaintiff operates a Twitch channel and publishes videos there. The defendant posted three videos on YouTube, using excerpts from the plaintiff’s videos without permission.

Both parties agreed that the plaintiff’s videos were protected by copyright. However, the defendant argued that his use of the excerpts fell within the bounds of quotation rights.