Using DMCA To Get Pirated Videos Removed
A few new tips on using the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to get stolen versions of your videos removed when they've been reposted without your consent.
If the site has no online reporting form, as XVideos does, you'll need to send them an email. Check the contact links for the correct email addy for sending in a DMCA takedown request. Using that address & the suggested subject heading will get the info to the proper department.
The email needs to have several pieces of info in it in order to comply with the DMCA. Quoting one site:
"Information that will allow us to contact you, including your address, telephone number and, if available, your e-mail address; a statement that you have a good faith belief that the use of the material complained of is not authorized by you, your agent or the law; a statement that the information in the notification is accurate and that under penalty of perjury that you are the owner or are authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the work that is allegedly infringed; and a physical or electronic signature from the copyright holder or an authorized representative."
Obviously, if the videos are of content like upskirting, flashing, etc. you won't want to do any of this. But if you've shot regular candids, you own what's called a "creative copyright", or "poor man's copyright", on the videos, & it's taken seriously in terms of copyright infringement.
So the way I usually do it:
The copyrighted work at issue is located at [URL for your video]
The infringing video is located at [URL for stolen video on their site]
The video is my work, was shot & edited by me, & was uploaded to your site without my consent.
I have a good faith belief that the use of the material complained of is not authorized by me, my agent or the law.
The information in the notification is accurate and under penalty of perjury, I am the owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the work that is allegedly infringed.
They also want a "digital signature". For legal purposes, you sign your name to the email, followed by "copyright holder", & that's good for a digital signature.
Furnish your contact info as noted above, & send it. You'll usually get a confirmation email within a few minutes.
There should be followup emails sent to you to let you know what's being done on their end.
In case the issue drags on, don't be shy about being a bit more aggressive. I had one site with 49 of my videos posted without my consent. When 5 days passed without action, I sent another email, with "Second Notice" included in the subject title. In the email I referred to "the extraordinary amount of copyright infringement on the part of your end-user".
All 49 videos were deleted, & I got an email to that effect, all within 5 hours of sending the second notice.
Is it a bit of work? Yes, it is. Is it satisfying on a personal level? Hell, yes it is!
If you love what you do, & hate to see your work being used to spam others (used as lure to fake sites redirecting to cam girls, or home shopping sites, etc), then try reporting the fuckers. It's such a rush the 1st time you see that 404 page where a stolen video once was, you might find it's not so much work after all.
If the site has no online reporting form, as XVideos does, you'll need to send them an email. Check the contact links for the correct email addy for sending in a DMCA takedown request. Using that address & the suggested subject heading will get the info to the proper department.
The email needs to have several pieces of info in it in order to comply with the DMCA. Quoting one site:
"Information that will allow us to contact you, including your address, telephone number and, if available, your e-mail address; a statement that you have a good faith belief that the use of the material complained of is not authorized by you, your agent or the law; a statement that the information in the notification is accurate and that under penalty of perjury that you are the owner or are authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the work that is allegedly infringed; and a physical or electronic signature from the copyright holder or an authorized representative."
Obviously, if the videos are of content like upskirting, flashing, etc. you won't want to do any of this. But if you've shot regular candids, you own what's called a "creative copyright", or "poor man's copyright", on the videos, & it's taken seriously in terms of copyright infringement.
So the way I usually do it:
The copyrighted work at issue is located at [URL for your video]
The infringing video is located at [URL for stolen video on their site]
The video is my work, was shot & edited by me, & was uploaded to your site without my consent.
I have a good faith belief that the use of the material complained of is not authorized by me, my agent or the law.
The information in the notification is accurate and under penalty of perjury, I am the owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the work that is allegedly infringed.
They also want a "digital signature". For legal purposes, you sign your name to the email, followed by "copyright holder", & that's good for a digital signature.
Furnish your contact info as noted above, & send it. You'll usually get a confirmation email within a few minutes.
There should be followup emails sent to you to let you know what's being done on their end.
In case the issue drags on, don't be shy about being a bit more aggressive. I had one site with 49 of my videos posted without my consent. When 5 days passed without action, I sent another email, with "Second Notice" included in the subject title. In the email I referred to "the extraordinary amount of copyright infringement on the part of your end-user".
All 49 videos were deleted, & I got an email to that effect, all within 5 hours of sending the second notice.
Is it a bit of work? Yes, it is. Is it satisfying on a personal level? Hell, yes it is!
If you love what you do, & hate to see your work being used to spam others (used as lure to fake sites redirecting to cam girls, or home shopping sites, etc), then try reporting the fuckers. It's such a rush the 1st time you see that 404 page where a stolen video once was, you might find it's not so much work after all.
7 years ago
