We recently shared independent musician Zoë Keating’s detailed experiences with YouTube’s strict licensing contract. Now, a YouTube spokesperson is calling Keating’s statements “patently false.”

Keating recounted her conversation with a YouTube representative on both her blog and as a post for Digital Music News, claiming that YouTube threatened to block her channel if she didn’t sign the five-year contract. A YouTube spokesperson then reached out to Digital Music News, asking that the site retract Keating’s false statements.

When asked to clarify which of the statements were false, the YouTube rep said Keating was incorrect in claiming that artists must sign YouTube’s new agreement in order to prevent their channels from being blocked.

“False. Any creator (musician or not) can choose to upload or keep their videos on YouTube by simply agreeing to the basic Terms of Service that everyone on YouTube agrees to,” the rep wrote in an email. “If a music artist would like [to] monetize their videos on YouTube, they need to sign the music agreement.”

Digital Music News in turn reached out to Keating for clarification. The Canadian artist affirmed her original statements and offered to share a detailed transcript of her conversation with the YouTube rep.

“If I sign the new music services agreement I can keep my videos on the service. If I don’t, Google will block my channel and disallow monetization via Content ID,” she wrote. “That is what the rep said according to my transcript. I asked her to clarify the blocking of the channel if I refused to sign and she confirmed. I said, ‘That’s a bit harsh,’ and she replied, ‘Yeah, I know, I’m sorry about that.’”

Digital Music News reached out to YouTube about Keating’s transcript, and the site’s representatives have yet to comment. Read Digital Music News’ full email exchange here.

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