Stolen content on other websites.

[Chrome-Demon]

I want to; before having you read the following, tell you that I'm not some kind of elitist. I know everyone should get to enjoy the content placed on the internet, and I know I'm not the only one afflicted by this issue. I'm trying to get someone, anyone, to help me get content of stolen nature removed from other websites. My main focus in this particular case is YouTube, and a specific user on it with a plethora of stolen content. I've seen some of the threads posted on this issue and they don't seem particularly substantial, if I'm wrong I don't mind having this thread removed. If most of the points in my post are unwarranted because I haven't looked into the issue enough, I don't mind having this thread removed. I am not trying to force anything on anyone who follows the rules; I just want thieves and con artists given what they deserve.

Thanks for listening. :D

Hi Newgrounds, today I've decided to bring up an important notice to everyone on this forum. Content from Newgrounds, and many other websites of this nature, is stolen every day. That means when you submit something here, something you may have worked on for days, weeks, months, etc., can be copy-pasted onto another web page without your suggestion, knowledge, or permission. I know sometimes we all joke around about it, ala Tom's post about Happy Harry's new Avatar film, but that doesn't mean it's okay.

The main source of this abuse is Youtube.com. Not specifically the staff of the website, but certainly the people logged into it every single day. Even if somebody posts a link, somebody gives you "100% credit.." that doesn't make it any less degrading knowing that every view that movie gets could be another view to your original work. For some artists, ads and revenue factor a large part into this, creating situations where traffic that would normally earn somebody an honest dime is redirected to pages used only to suck people into a YouTube channel or user's internet-ego. Simply put, stolen content takes away from what the poster originally planned to do with it in its original state, which is post that content wherever and have it viewed there.

However long this has been going on does not matter, nor does the staff at YouTube's limitations. This content, created for Newgrounds, is being put somewhere unintended by its original poster. Anyone who doesn't know the content is stolen will give comments, questions, messages, and at times donations to people who do not own the content in any way. I don't care if they're being nice about it, I don't care if they're coy, this shit is immoral, illicit, and certainly illegal at least on the terms of service for both here and there.

The only thing YouTube allows one to do is report for copyright infringement. That means that if you don't hold a copyright for the content and you claim it to be stolen, you can be held on a false claim. There isn't a "Hey, my content was here and now it's all over YouTube without my say-so." button. There isn't a help line easily accessible for me to call about my stolen content or anyone else's. There is absolutely no retribution for an author who has had something stolen, stripped from their person, and placed on YouTube. This is absolutely unacceptable in my opinion, and so I wondered if there was anything we could do about it.

To be honest, if I am severely missing something here and making a false statement, then I apologize, but I have yet to see jack being done about this problem, and I'd really like it solved. In fact, I wouldn't care if YouTube linked people to my original content either, but the way it is now is just plain wrong.

My Story:

A few days after I released one my newer films on Newgrounds, I go to look and see if it has any reviews I hadn't yet read. Of course, I love feedback on things I make even when they suck, so reading reviews of my work is a nice break for me. It helps me relieve stress, lets me just read what people have to say about something I made, something original.

So this really nice review on one of my movies basically says that there's a "Released Version" on YouTube and provides a nice little link to go with it. I follow this link to a page containing my movie, in absolutely ace HD (lolwut) quality on YouTube. This is my content that I created, my video that I spent time on and wanted viewed on Newgrounds and only Newgrounds, unless somebody kindly asked for it. Well apparently YouTube doesn't care what they keep on their site, considering I go to the submitter's profile and there lies mountains upon mountains of stolen content. Now it isn't my movie that I'm particularly angry about anymore, but what sits there in a huge box on the guy's front page: Harry's new Avatar video, also displayed on the front page of Newgrounds. I'm thinking "What?" because this doesn't make sense to me. Why does somebody else have a video from Newgrounds up on YouTube, stealing pageviews, comments and appraise. Mostly, I'm confused as to why this person keeps crediting the authors of these films. For me, I don't want my content moved to a hundred other places, even if someone kisses my feet for the privilege, without my consent. I don't see why anyone in their right mind would take something they didn't create and basically plagiarize it out in the open like that. I don't see how this is allowed.

So, now I lie at the entrance to this tunnel. I can either walk away or do what I'm doing now. I'm asking if there is a way we can work together and have people that steal content banned from YouTube, just like thieves do here on NG.

The user I am bringing into question for the moment, because he not only stole my film but also one by an established author here on Newgrounds, is located at this link:

http://www.youtube.com/user/secretgangan u

If anyone knows a way to get this content removed without suggesting a copyright violation, please just explain it to me calmly and a mod can drop this thread off the face of the earth. I honestly just think this is unfair, and while life often isn't fair, this seems pretty manageable.

Also, I've started a thread on Newgrounds about the thievery involved in the various Hentai submissions here, it's wrong and inappropriate all the same and should also be removed, but considering that thread didn't get too far on anything, I assume that my point on that issue is moot because there are too many little perverts running around Newgrounds. Regardless, the majority of H content on Newgrounds is completely ripped off, stolen, and thus equally as wrong to have here as our movies on YouTube. I don't mind if we share content, but the original author needs to have a say in where their stuff is and where it isn't.

I believe that here on Newgrounds, part of the problem has been fixed using the Ad-system, where users can set sites on which their content can be played. However, if someone records the content another way, then this method won't stop them.

Please don't flame me, just let the thread die if need be, I'm just throwing in my two cents.

I just want to help people, so sorry if I'm being a pain in the ass.

[Fiziks]

You should know nobody on this site has the attention span to take on The Great Wall of Text.

Just puttin' it out thar.

[Farza]

At 1/20/10 08:42 PM, Fiziks wrote: You should know nobody on this site has the attention span to take on The Great Wall of Text.

Just puttin' it out thar.

I just read that. What are you calling us? Stupid?

Go read it you lazy bum. He needs help.

Anyways. The only way I can think of helping you out is by contacting the guy who has stolen your videos . Try making deals with him. Or you can contact Wade. He MIGHT help you. I mean vids from NG are stolen everyday. You might be screwed my freind.

[Venks]

I read the whole thing. I feel sorry for ya I really do. But in this cruel lame world the only person who is going to look out for you is yourself. Thus far when I've encountered people 'stealing' my content I've been able to simply ask them to take it down. The guy you provided a link to seemed nice and I'm sure he would do the same if asked.

If you're getting into the world of creating content to make profit perhaps you really should look into copyrighting your IP. And if you're using someone else's IP in your movie like say the Avatar Sex video well you're plain out of luck. That IP isn't his to begin with. He shouldn't be making money off of it.

[Fiziks]

Ok, I took on that wall like a true Mongolian, so here's my advice;

Contacting the guy could further provoke him to keep the stuff on YouTube, or result in no reply since we are dealing with a YouTube-er that steals content like none other. There is also another action you could take, which would be to contact Wade, but as always the staff is too high-and-fucking-mighty to talk to any of us peasants, which makes me think Wade wouldn't care.

Option #3: Make a copyright claim with YouTube. Have you seen Oney's userpage banner? It a screenshot of a video that was removed because of a copyright claim by Chris O'Neil. That, I think is your best bet.

[Chrome-Demon]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I've decided that at this time my best bet is/was to message the user in question, so I did just that.

Hopefully he'll come through for me, as you all have done here.

Also, I tried to split up my wall into paragraphs, but they turned out just being smaller walls. Thanks for reading through the whole shebang! :D

[V-K]

Do it like Egoraptor.
Write your youtube name somewhere in the Flash Submittion. If someone uploads it, you can let the staff remove it.
It´s actually no problem if you can prove it´s yours. Although people will possibly keep trying to upload it.

[henke37]

If it's your stuff, you have the copyright and can file a complaint. Otherwise, ask the one who has copyright to file the complaint. It is that simple.

If you want to get rid of someone, just look for other rules violations, there is always something that you can report them about.

[M-Shack]

If your stuff in on youtube, contact youtube with the original info. They will take it down, they take down lots of copyright infringed videos. Also that is why some people label all of their work. So even if someone does "steal" it, your name is still all over it. Or you can get it on youtube and vimeo as soon as you're done, so people recognize that you have the original. I guess try to take it as flattery, that your work was good enough to be stolen?

[Johnny]

Use the NG API and site-lock it next time. It's not 100% (as decompling/modifying can still happen) but it's great security for how easy it is.

As far as copyright content on Youtube, I constantly see "Item removed due to copyright blah blah" so contacting them would be another good bet.