"The song “Drag Me Down” by One Direction appeared on YouTube 2,700 times after the service was asked to take down unlicensed copies. These 2,700 pirated uploads allowed Google to continue profiting from advertising while the artists got nothing."

That is objectively not true. Labels are very strict about issuing takedown notices. The only videos that stay up are those using content ID, in which case the artist gets paid.

I know this is an op-ed, but shame on the NYT for allowing such a blatant falsehood to be published.