Thieves Now Using YouTube to Steal Articles

1. 60

   paradigmsearchposted 4 years ago

   They simply put a pretty picture up and then read your article verbatim out loud.
   
   Google then ranks the YouTube link above your article link.
   
   There's no way to fight this. I give up. I'm done.

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      DrMark1961posted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, there is a way to fight this. One of my newest articles became the featured snippet right after I published it so it was copied on Youtube and read out with a computer voice. (The video has almost 1000 views when I was still under 100.) I filed a complaint with Google and they took it down immediately, replacing the video with my name, as Bev points out.
      The thief also was given the ability to contact me, so he sent me a "woe is me" letter telling me how his family would starve if I removed all of my content from his site.
      Not a perfect solution for me, but definitely a way to fight this.

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         TIMETRAVELER2posted 4 years agoin reply to this

         How did you know about this video?

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            promisemposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            I've gone through the same thing. Like DrMark, I contacted Google about it, and they took the video down immediately.
            
            It's easy to find if you simply do a search on your article title or key phrases. You might want to schedule a regular check for video theft every few months, at least for your most popular Hubs.

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         2. 96

            DrMark1961posted 4 years agoin reply to this

            The week after the article was moved to a niche site I checked Google to see if it still had the featured snippet. As PDS pointed out, the video (with some computer voice reading my article) was ranked above my hub.
            When I went onto the theifs Youtube page I found all sorts of my aritlces copied. I filed DCMAs for them all. (I think there were about a dozen.) Google removed them but put a notice in each one stating that it had been removed at my request. Google also sent my email address to the thief.

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2. 97

   theraggededgeposted 4 years ago

   As YouTube is owned by Google, it's easy to have it taken down. The trouble is, they plaster your real name on the page that previously displayed the video. When queried, they told me 'that's the way we do it'.

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   1. 60

      paradigmsearchposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      I know to DMCA text version thefts. But if a thief makes a verbal, enhanced video version of your original text version, DMCA will still work? Text isn't displayed in the video, it's just said out loud.

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3. 60

   paradigmsearchposted 4 years ago

   Thank you, everyone! I had thought the thieves had found a way to beat the system and all was lost.
   
   Since Google wants to make this up close and personal with real names and email addresses; I'm contemplating sending collection agencies after them (the individual thieves) for usage fees, instead of just doing the usual DMCAs. Good idea? Bad idea?

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   1. 96

      DrMark1961posted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Well, if the person is in Russia or China, I do not think it would do much good. It might give them something to laugh about over the dinner table though.
      I guess if you just want to bring a bit of laughter to someones day it is a good idea.

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         paradigmsearchposted 4 years agoin reply to this

         I think most of the thieves are in the US (same as with the hackers, btw). Collection agency does all the work, split the proceeds 50:50?
         
         Edit: I understand photographers do this all the time.

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         1. 96

            DrMark1961posted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Not sure about hackers, but I seriously doubt that most of the spammers and content thieves are in the US. In some countries the wages are less than a dollar a day but they do have internet access.
            What criminal would not take advantage of someone like that?

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4. 93

   Titiaposted 4 years ago

   WOW I never thought youtube users would steal your articles too. The first hub I searched for was a hit. All my own photos with text from my article displayed on them. It was posted on November 2 and only had 3 views. Now I have to figure out how to file a DMCA.

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      paradigmsearchposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      https://www.youtube.com/reportingtool/legal

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      1. 93

         Titiaposted 4 years agoin reply to this

         Found it and filed a removal request.
         
         And found another one, same thief.

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         1. 60

            paradigmsearchposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            I tell ya, it's all becoming just too much of a pain in the neck.

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5. 60

   paradigmsearchposted 4 years ago

   I just discovered a new phrase:
   
   "copyright infringement debt buyer"
   
   This beats the debt collector route I think.
   
   The problem is actually finding one that is willing to bother with such small potatoes as my situation.

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6. 63

   hanikhalidposted 4 years ago

   Well, it is really good that you discussed such a query on this platform. I had zero knowledge about this youtube theft thing. So good to read all the comments and got the information about it.

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   1. 60

      paradigmsearchposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Apparently, you and I were the only ones that didn't know. Everyone else knew and just considered it business as usual.

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7. 93

   Titiaposted 4 years ago

   I found mine on this youtube channel   user/eddiegreen11/videos  I left the https www youtube dot com out in order to not make a working link
   
   Everybody who writes about dogs and cats should take a look, I haven't counted them but there are several hundreds of videos there, mostly German, but other languages too.
   So far I have found two of my hubs. He displays all photos multiple times and put text from the article over them.

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8. 94

   jansharesposted 4 years ago

   Jeez! I had know idea of this YouTube form of theft. I'm with you, paradigm, just makes you wanna holla! Thanks for the info guys.

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   1. 60

      paradigmsearchposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      I've figured out the secret to success.
      
      I just got to write something that is god enough to get onto a niche site, but not good enough to steal. What could be easier?

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      1. 83

         Wesman Todd Shawposted 4 years agoin reply to this

         That's always been my actual strategy. I'm amazed by some of the pages of mine that do get stolen. I think, 'wow, someone stole THAT thing?'

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      2. 94

         jansharesposted 4 years agoin reply to this

         

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9. 92

   Kenna McHughposted 4 years ago

   Dang! Some people are just too lazy to work hard.

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   1. 88

      lobobrandonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      I know right, they do have some level of intelligence to pull this off, I'm sure they could put it to better use.

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10. 93

    poppyrposted 4 years ago

    People are completely pathetic and shameless. I had no idea about YouTube, thank you so much for informing us.

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11. 88

    Nell Roseposted 4 years ago

    I would never have even thought of that! Wow!

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12. 93

    Titiaposted 4 years ago

    YouTube is fast as it comes to copyright infringement. I filed two DMCAs yesterday and today I got two emails from YouTube Copyright telling me they removed both videos. Now when I click the link to one of them it shows a black square with the text:
    
    Video unavailable
    "canine degenerative myel...." is no longer available due to copyright claim by Titia Geertman.
    
    Same goes for the other one.

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13. 92

    Sherry Hewinsposted 4 years ago

    I can't imagine anybody wanting to hear my hubs read by a computer. Are these things actually successful?

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    1. 88

       lobobrandonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

       They get the views because they rank for the same terms. When looking for stuff, I've come across such videos myself (not sure if they were copied from articles, but a computer reading something out). There's this first ad that shows up sometimes, so even if you close it as soon as you realize it's all c**p, you've already listened to an ad giving that person some ad revenue. Also,I doubt they'd be doing it if it doesn't pay at least some pennies.

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    2. 96

       DrMark1961posted 4 years agoin reply to this

       One of mine that had been copied and read on Youtube had 10 times the views my article did. Since Google ranked it at the top of the page, above my article, I guess I should not have been too surprised.

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14. 60

    paradigmsearchposted 4 years ago

    Fighting the thieves off all the time, and certain other obstacles/obstructions, has just plain worn me down. The last two sentences in my OP just may end up being true.

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    1. 93

       Titiaposted 4 years agoin reply to this

       Don't give up. Thanks to your post I found two of my PetHelpful articles on youtube on this channel: https:// www. youtube.com/ user/eddiegreen11/featured  I filed  two DMCAs and YouTube closed both videos within one day. Next day I got an email from YouTube saying that some person had a complain about the shutdown and the name was from someone in Ha Noi. Then I got a personal email form this person saying:
       From: Laza Channel [mailto:yameng.wang88 @ gmail.com]
       Verzonden: November 15, 2018 16:07
       To: my email address
       Subject: Copyright Youtube
       This video is self-made by me, please do not receive copyright that is damaging my channel"
       
       So I replied to the given email address saying that the info he used on those videos were copyrighted and that if he didn't take them down I would sue him.
       
       Next day I got another email from him saying:
       I'm sorry. I do not understand why you put the copyright stick on my videos. Please retract the copyright stick I will remove all the videos you requested. thank you!
       
       And now both videos are no longer there. So it does help to send emails and file DMCAs.
       
       Maybe a good thing that anyone on PetHelpful check out this channel. I was able to find my articles by typing in the full titles and I recognized the photos of my dog and cat.
       
       edit: I just entered a title I found on PetHelpful : Veterinary advice on what to do if your dog eats gum by Hubber Adrienne Janet Farricelli  and this article has been turned into a video also on this channel: https:// www. youtube.com/ watch?v=lZH_kwL4VPE  (just remove the spaces.

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15. 60

    paradigmsearchposted 4 years ago

    I filed the DMCA with YouTube.
    
    Am not happy about my name, physical address, phone number, email address, being given to a known thief!!!

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16. 91

    siramaposted 4 years ago

    For Image - Water mark your image stating 'Stolen from username @ Hub pages Network' or Copyright Your-User-Name@HubpagesNetwork.
    
    But, for Text, I do not know what to do.

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       theraggededgeposted 4 years agoin reply to this

       You can't watermark images used on HubPages.

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          siramaposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          If the image is created by somebody else (Taken from Google - Free to use) then we should not use water mark. Or if the water mark is applied by somebody else, then we should not use that.
          
          When you are the owner of the Image (Mean you created it), you can use water mark (Even Copyright). Hope, some staff here can shed more light on this

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          1. 97

             theraggededgeposted 4 years agoin reply to this

             No, you can't. Watermarked images are not permitted.
             
             Here's the relevant section from the FAQ:
             
             "Images that are low resolution, grainy, or pixelated detract from the aesthetic appeal of an article and are prohibited. For the same reason, images or videos that contain obtrusive watermarks are also prohibited. Watermarks can include URLs, logos, copyright notices, or other text rendered over the image. This rule applies even if they are your own photos or videos, or photos or videos that you have the legal right to use."

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             1. 91

                siramaposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                "This rule applies even if they are your own photos or videos"
                - I got the Point. Thanks for clarifying.
                
                
                I do used water-marks and the articles are featured.May be because of water mark transparency (5%) Original content is 95% Opaque. An Example is below
                
                
                However, In future, I will avoid it.

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