Impostor Sending Out DMCA Notices In Chaturbate's Name Now Targeting Techdirt URLs
from the doubling-down dept
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a long series of questionable DMCA notices I thought had been issued by online onanism portal Chaturbate. The takedown requests appeared to have been generated by a faulty algorithm with no human vetting involved. Many of those I examined appeared to target names of Chaturbate broadcasters, but without any of the precision one normally associates with the word "target." Sites named for delisting included geographical research, an Amazon page for a book about the Hadron Collider, track meet records collections, and even Chaturbate itself.
After some discussion with Chaturbate, it was determined someone is filing notices in Chaturbate's name, but without Chaturbate's official blessing. The scattershot, extremely prolific approach was now harming Chaturbate's reputation, tying it to bogus DMCA notices targeting all sort of non-infringing content. (I have since updated the original post to reflect the my conversations with Chaturbate and offer my apologies for naming the wrong party in the original post.)
Whoever's performing these bogus takedowns hasn't stopped. Chaturbate's legal rep has been asking Google for more details on the impostor requests. Google is looking into it, but so far has only provided an incredibly long list of likely auto-generated Gmail addresses as the source of these bogus notices, which now number into the thousands.
While we continue to work towards discovering who's behind these bogus notices, there have been some interesting developments. First, the impostor is now including Techdirt URLs, including the original post and my user page, in their takedown requests.
Second, whoever's doing this appears to have read my post. The issuing party has changed from Chaturbate LLC to Multi Media LLC. This is the name Chaturbate uses when it issues takedown requests. I never used the name in the updates to the post but did link to an example of a genuine Chaturbate takedown notice, as supplied to me by Chaturbate's representatives.
This would seem to indicate whoever's behind the bogus takedowns is aware multiple parties are trying to expose them. The DMCA notices containing Techdirt URLs contain almost nothing but adult-themed URLs, suggesting the TD pages may have been added in an attempt to bury the story. It still could be a faulty algorithm is flagging anything containing words like "Chaturbate," but the relative lack of unrelated sites suggests a slightly more targeted approach is being taken, even though there's still an emphasis on quantity over quality.
The other theory is the post hasn't been read, but the impostor has received challenges from Google when submitting notices under the Chaturbate LLC name. A little research may have uncovered the fact Chaturbate's legitimate takedown service only issues takedowns under the Multi Media LLC name.
If the impostor is reading these posts, they might want to remember the perjury side of it doesn't cover the URLs targeted for takedown, but rather the assertion they represent the rightsholders listed in the notices. According to Chaturbate, this impostor doesn't. All rights are retained by each individual Chaturbate broadcaster and Multi Media LLC makes no claims otherwise when issuing takedown notices on behalf of its clients. The impostor, however, makes these claims for several performers in each takedown request and does so under the names of companies they don't work for or represent. We're still trying to find out who's behind this and will keep you posted as this investigation proceeds.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: copyright, dmca, takedown
Companies: chaturbate, google
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Something tells me nothing is going to happen though.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
"And Google should really review their electronic DMCA system (ContentID and all)."
They can review it all they like, but what exactly do you want them to do? I mean, this was caught, so it's not like it's a failure on Google's part.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
OMG^2! Some over-ambitious Linux weenie wrote a lousy script! Do away with all DMCA takedowns and all copyright!
NOW that more information has come out, the re-writer has dropped focus on DMCA -- besides stopped asserting was "Chaturbate", presumably avoiding another defamation suit -- to show it IS indeed just some "script kiddie".
Your rabid bias that DMCA is totally evil led you to get all wrong yet again, Techdirt and fanboys. So, HA on you!
And though I've been proved right, I'll get not even hint of apology, just MORE hate. -- And hiding of this! Click away, kids! That actually helps me by showing what anyone will get for being right here!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: OMG^2! Some over-ambitious Linux weenie wrote a lousy script! Do away with all DMCA takedowns and all copyright!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: OMG^2! Some over-ambitious Linux weenie wrote a lousy script! Do away with all DMCA takedowns and all copyright!
Are you okay?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Perjury
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: OMG^2! Some over-ambitious Linux weenie wrote a lousy script! Do away with all DMCA takedowns and all copyright!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
changed name
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: Perjury
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: OMG^2! Some over-ambitious Linux weenie wrote a lousy script! Do away with all DMCA takedowns and all copyright!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
dang...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: OMG^2! Some over-ambitious Linux weenie wrote a lousy script! Do away with all DMCA takedowns and all copyright!
As an aside, this affront has taken me aback.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Discredit the DMCA
Every false takedown notice sent to YouTube, every abuse of the takedown system used to silence legitimate speech, every attempt to overreach out of the fear of even a single instance of copyright infringement—all of those acts discredit the DMCA. Techdirt only sheds light on them.
Also: Who cares if it is a script kiddie? They still keep filing false takedown notices. Why does the identity of the perpetrator matter more than the crimes they are committing?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Great training exercise
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: Perjury
It does count as perjury, actually. A DMCA takedown notice is a legally binding document for the purposes of copyright law. Anyone who lies about who they are when filing a takedown notice is effectively lying to a court of law, as said takedown notice could eventually lead to a lawsuit against the takedown’s target.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
If we weren't holding a 3rd party who doesn't host the infringing content responsible for hiding it.
Its nice we can send 10 trillion notices to Google, but it doesn't actually remove the content. The entire point of the DMCA was to get copyright content removed, but somehow that got morphed into it's all Googles fault make them fix it for us.
The system is designed to be abused.
You have to believe every submission even if its from fake.notice@mail.com
You have to take action on it, otherwise the law will clobber you
If you can show a pattern of fakery or bogus notices... there is no penalty
We require websites to have registered DMCA people, they send all of the notices to Google
We can't possibly touch the law to fix it, because the cartels have invested heavily into making everyone pay the bills for their ineptness. IP is our most valuable resource... Sharknado 6.... nuff said.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: OMG^2! Some over-ambitious Linux weenie wrote a lousy script! Do away with all DMCA takedowns and all copyright!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: dang...
I agree. It was like Chatubate was using the DMCA to screw themselves and there was pure comedy gold in that.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Let me fix that for you
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Perjury
Well, assuming you can find a federal prosecutor willing to take the case, anyway.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: dang...
It's not like it would be without precedent, I mean HBO has done so in the past, so Chaturbate doing so as well was certainly within the realm of possibility.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: dang...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: dang...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Do away with all DMCA takedowns and all copyright!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: Perjury
17 USC § 512(c)(3) Elements of notification.—
(Emphasis added.)
“Under penalty of perjury”.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
It's not unusual in porn to see a thing called "model regret". That is where a girl (or guy) who appeared nude or did porn regrets their choice later in life. They want to make those pictures and videos go away - or at least make it so that people cannot search Google for it.
The best result is to DMCA everything you see to Google, claim to the copyright holder, and watch them mow things down for you. Since Google seemingly makes no effort to assure that DMCA notices are valid and from the legal source, it's a pretty good way to get rid of things you don't like. If the site(s) in question aren't fast to answer Google, then the content gets removed from search and image search and "boom", you win.
Fake DMCA notices are a real problem, but do seem to represent a small percentage of the overall stream of things. It's not nice, but it's hard to avoid.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
still going on
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]