Fred von Lohmann, a senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, has spearheaded efforts to challenge networks' copyright protection claims. He has compiled a list of at least four videos -- three from the McCain campaign and one from the Obama camp -- that were taken down because of network objections. "I expect there are more videos, but no idea how many," von Lohmann said. "I believe the McCain campaign has disclosed all of theirs, but the Obama campaign has been silent, so who knows."

Since YouTube doesn't disclose details regarding Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedowns, there's no way to get an official number, von Lohmann said. And he stressed that many "citizen-created" political ads could have been at targeted as well.

• John McCain's "Lipstick" Web ad

This spot uses footage of Katie Couric talking about sexism in the context of Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign to imply that Obama had insulted Sarah Palin with his "lipstick on a pig" remark. CBS requested the Web video be removed.

• McCain's "Folks" TV ad

This ad used comments Obama made on both MSNBC and the Christian Broadcasting Network to paint him as overly defensive and unpresidential. CBN sent the takedown notice to YouTube.

• McCain's "Acorn" Web video

Fox News complained after its coverage of voter fraud allegations was included in this longer Web video. The footage was used to scrutinize Obama's previous connection to the community activist group ACORN.

• Barack Obama's "Bad News" Web video

In this ad's faux newscast, NBC declares McCain the narrow winner of the presidential race. "It doesn't have to be that way," the ad says, urging Obama supporters to vote.

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