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Ask Slashdot: How To Fight Copyright Violations With DMCA?

Posted by timothy on from the which-narrative-do-you-prefer? dept.

szyzyg writes "I've created some popular science videos showing how asteroid discoveries have happened over the last few decades. However I've run into a problem with a religious organization which borrowed my video and redubbed it to promote their religious message. Ultimately I filed a DMCA takedown request via YouTube's site, it's as easy as filling in a form and the video was removed. But this organization has since submitted a counterclaim claiming 'under penalty of perjury' that they do in fact have the rights to this work, and YouTube has reinstated the video. It looks like the only way I can pursue this further is to spend the money to take the organization to court and get an injunction, but even if I did so I'd have to pay court costs up front and since they're based in another country I'd have a difficult time actually collecting any money from the other party. It feels like this other group is simply gambling that I won't spend the time and resources to take further legal action, the DMCA is supposed to provide equal protection but the more lawyer you have the more 'equal' you are. So does anyone have any suggestions for how I should proceed here?"

6 of 455 comments (clear)

  1. The DMCA by santax · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Doesn't mean shit outside the USA. Thank God.

    1. Re:The DMCA by girlintraining · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Doesn't mean shit outside the USA. Thank God.

      Unfortunately, the USA doesn't care about inconveniences like sovereignty of a foreign nation. And you better not complain, or we'll bring Democracy to your country too. We've been very busy creating new treaties to expand DMCA-like law to other countries, building up extradition, and creating extrajudicial process to punish people who commit acts considered criminal in our country but not theirs. At the same time, we've been withdrawing from treaties that restrict the diplomatic rights and sovereignties of others, for the benefit of our military-industrialist complex. Ask Julian Assange how that works sometime... that is, if you can get him out of his new permanent jail in the Ecudorian apartme--er, embassy.

      --
      #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
    2. Re:The DMCA by cusco · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If you watch the video in question you'd rather quickly realize that 'asking nicely' isn't going to do any good. They've rather blatantly taken his work, which very clearly refers to new asteroids discovered because of improved detection , and made it into an apocalyptic scare video where the asteroids are appearing out of nowhere to threaten Earth. From 8000 asteroids known in 1980 to the 300000+ known today, they want the audience to believe that they are massing for some kind of cataclysmic attack. Not anyone likely to listen to a request 'asked nicely'.

      --
      "Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
    3. Re:The DMCA by hoggoth · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes, they are clearly crazy and stupid. So make a new video mocking them! The more outrageous the better. Use their own stupidity in your video. Find out what other crazy beliefs they hold and promote and include those. You may have noticed that John Stewart and Sarah Silverman get more views than some wrinkled prune screaming about the apocalypse.

      Or have a contest to see who can make the funnier mocking video. Let us all in on the fun!

      --
      - For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat /dev/random (may take some time)
  2. Re:Good Job, Scott Manley by tepples · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The video used my name, and picture and implies that my research supports their creationist message.

    Then you likely have a defamation or publicity claim to add to your copyright infringement claim. Make sure to bring these up at the initial consultation with your lawyer.

  3. Re:Information wants to be free by fredprado · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Those kind of "Slashdotters" are usually a lot more coherent than "Slashdotters haters Slashdotters" like you. ;)

    That said, most slashdotters are not against copyright per se, but against the abuse of copyright by corporations, the use of public money to defend their rights while the common citizen have to bankrupt himself to have any chance of having justice made, and the erosion of fair use promoted by those same big corporations.

    Your limited capacity of understanding these concepts is what brings you to perceive their opinions as something paradoxical.