A YouTube channel is using your brand name or logo? See when a trademark complaint fits, what YouTube's webform asks for and what happens after you file.
Contact the channel first, because YouTube says it does not mediate trademark disputes. If that fails, use YouTube's trademark webform as the owner or an authorised representative, with the registration number, jurisdiction, exact URLs and a clear explanation of the confusion. YouTube forwards each complaint to the uploader and removes content in clear cases of infringement.
SummaryYou type your brand name into YouTube and a channel you have never heard of comes up. It has your name, or a logo close enough to fool your customers, and people are commenting as if it is you. It feels like someone has put up a shop sign with your name on it.
YouTube has a trademark complaint route for this, but it is a legal process with its own rules. This guide follows YouTube's own Help pages and webform as they read today. It covers which route fits, what the form asks for, a description you can adapt, the Malaysia registration question and what happens after you file. One wrong step can cost you the account, so know what you are doing before you start.
Last checked: 29 October 2026.
YouTube's Trademark page says it does not mediate trademark disputes between creators and trademark owners, and it strongly encourages owners to speak directly with the creator first. If you cannot reach a resolution, it points you to the trademark complaint form. It says YouTube will perform a limited review of reasonable complaints, will remove content in clear cases of infringement, and forwards each trademark complaint to the uploader before taking any action. The same page says it also accepts free form complaints by email, fax and mail.
YouTube splits brand problems across several routes. Picking the wrong one wastes time, and a legal form used for the wrong purpose carries its own risk. Use this table to choose.
| What you see | Route that fits | Where YouTube says so |
|---|---|---|
| A channel or video uses your brand name or logo in a way likely to confuse people about the source | Trademark complaint webform | Trademark page |
| A channel copies your brand's name, picture, banner or colours to pose as your official channel | Impersonation report | Impersonation policy page |
| A video or channel sells or promotes fake versions of your products | Counterfeit complaint | Counterfeit page, linked from the Trademark page |
| A channel reuploads your own videos, songs or other protected works | Copyright complaint | Trademark page, which points copyright issues elsewhere |
| A fan channel that says clearly in its name or handle that it is a fan channel | Usually not impersonation, if the fan label is clear | Impersonation policy page on fan channels |
The Impersonation policy says YouTube does not allow unauthorised impersonation of a person, entity or channel, including deceptively copying branding, content or usernames. It adds that YouTube also enforces trademark holder rights. Its examples include putting Real or Official into a channel name, and using a name or handle that is phonetically identical or visually similar to an established entity, including deceptive misspellings. If your brand is not registered, this impersonation route may be the more realistic one. Our guide to a YouTube channel impersonating you walks through it.
The Counterfeit page says Google prohibits the sale or promotion for sale of counterfeit goods, and that channels that promote or sell counterfeit goods may be terminated. It describes counterfeits as goods with a trademark or logo identical to, or substantially indistinguishable from, the brand owner's mark. If the channel is selling fakes, that complaint may fit better than a trademark complaint.
This is YouTube's own advice, not ours. The Trademark page says contacting the uploader may fix the problem faster in a way that benefits everyone, and that some creators list ways they can be contacted on their channel. A short, polite message works better than a threat.
If the channel ignores you, refuses, or the use looks like a scam aimed at your customers, move on to the formal route.
We opened YouTube's Trademark Complaint webform today. The fields below are what it shows now, and YouTube can change them. The File a Trademark Complaint page says that without the required information, YouTube cannot review the request.
| Section | What the form asks | What to have ready |
|---|---|---|
| Complainant's information | Full legal name (aliases, usernames or initials are not accepted), contact email, title, company name, trademark owner, and your relationship to the trademark owner | Proof you are the owner or are authorised to act for the owner |
| Trademark details | How many trademarks you are reporting (the form offers one to five), whether each is a wordmark, a logo or both, and whether it is registered or you claim use rights | A list of the marks you are relying on |
| Registration | Jurisdiction (EUTM or Other), the country of registration and the registration number | Your certificate or the record from your trademark office |
| Supporting documents | Images or documents from your country's trademark office as proof of ownership, and an optional upload if you hold a valid court order against specific URLs | Clear scans in an accepted format such as PDF or PNG |
| Content details | Whether you are reporting a video, a channel, both, or other, and the exact URLs | Full links, not search results or screenshots alone |
| Clarifications | Describe specifically how the trademark is allegedly infringed | A short factual explanation, see the template below |
| Legal affirmations | Three statements you must agree to, including consent for the complaint to be forwarded to the uploader, and your typed full name as a digital signature | Read each statement before you tick it |
The form also notes that, after the United Kingdom left the European Union, EU complaints no longer cover the UK, and UK rights must be shown separately. The File a Trademark Complaint page adds that if you claim use based rights instead of a registration, you should cite the grounds, such as a company website.
The description box is where clarity matters most. This is our own template, not YouTube wording. Keep it factual and short.
Leave out opinions about the person behind the channel. The Trademark page defines infringement as improper or unauthorised use of a trademark in a way that is likely to cause confusion as to the source of a product, so describe the confusion, not your anger.
The webform lets you choose Malaysia as the country of registration, so Malaysian registrations can be used directly. If your mark is not registered, the MyIPO FAQ says registration is not compulsory, but that without it the owner cannot bring an action under the Trademarks Act 2019 and must rely on the common law instead, which it calls very contentious. The same FAQ says a registration notice issued by the Registrar is conclusive evidence of ownership in court.
That does not stop you using YouTube's form with use based rights, but it does mean your evidence has to work harder. For an unregistered brand, the impersonation report and our wider guide to brand impersonation by fake pages in Malaysia may be the more practical first step. For Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, see our guide to filing a trademark report for a fake brand account.
Be wary of anyone who offers to have a channel taken down quickly through a contact at YouTube. YouTube's pages describe only the webform and its free form email, fax and mail routes. Treat anyone who asks for your Google password, a sign in code or access to your channel as a scammer, whatever they promise. Our guide on spotting fake recovery services lists the common red flags.
This guide is not legal advice. If the other side disputes your rights, or the channel is a competitor, speak to a trademark lawyer.
Many owners file alone, and the official steps above come first. The risks are real, though. The webform and the Counterfeit page both warn that abuse of YouTube's legal forms may result in termination of your YouTube account. YouTube says it cannot review a complaint that lacks the required information, and a complaint filed under the wrong route may not be acted on, while the details you give may still reach the uploader. Treat anyone who offers a shortcut with caution.
If you are unsure which route fits, the brand matters to your income, or the channel is scamming your customers, having an experienced team prepare the case is the safer choice. AwareXone does this work through the official routes only. See our impersonation removal service, or apply for a case review.
A review helps when you hold a registration in one country but the channel targets another, when you only have use based rights, or when a complaint has already been closed. SocialSafe by AwareXone is a Malaysia-based service, independent of YouTube and Google, that helps you use YouTube's own routes. We never ask for your password, sign in codes or channel access, and YouTube makes the final decision. Read how we work on our trust page.
More free guides on the same kind of problem.
