Copyright claim from IDG Germany on my let's play?

[blunderinggames]

Hello guys,

Im doing a let's play of this awesome game. View it here! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKou1l6afV4&list=PL9BCD171AB87DC3EC&feature=view_all)

An employee of Telltame games said it was fine to do a let's play of The walking dead right here on the forums.
The problem is i got a copyright claim from IDG Germany on my vids.
Does that company actually do anything for Telltale Games?
IDG seems to send out random claims, just wanted to let you all know.

So if IDG is somehow connected to Telltale games and they are in their right let me know, i will act accordingly. If not, it may be wise for Telltale games to let youtube know about this.

[Vainamoinen]

All right, not sure if I can help you here, but you'll get my two cents.

IDG Germany distributes the German gaming magazine GameStar. That is the connection to gaming, but absolutely the only one I can see here.

I'm pretty sure there is no connection to Telltale at all - but with licenses such as this, there might be other connections, for example Kirkman. Do you have any means of asking them what they actually think is "theirs"?

If not, maybe drop me a PM with the e-mail/info you received on the matter. The GameStar guys are normally rather cool, I might drop them an e-mail asking what is going on here.

[Zaxs]

As a rule of thumb. If a company making the copyright claim only has 3 letters dispute it. I have had hundreds, I am not kidding, of copyright claims from 3 letter long companies. All of which were bogus.

[schuubars]

IDG isn't just Gamestar, IDG itself is a bad company, selling(or giving out to partners without permission) private data...

[schuubars]

edit: oops DP sry.

[Goldrock]

I wouldnt worry too much unless your tryin to turn a profit or something with someones said product or under some sorta NDA i really dont see much they can really do if its not their product to begin with no harm no foul.

[blunderinggames]

Do you have any means of asking them what they actually think is "theirs"?



Nope, all you get is a claim notification and the qonsequences are effective inmediatly, wich are eiter the vids become unavailable or advertisements get slapped over the vid. Guess who gets the revenue for those ads.
Exactly, the company doing the claim. I don't make money doing the vids and i don't want ads on them.

All i can do is counter te claim via an annoying process that seems a bit biased towards the claimers.

IDG claimed only 3 videos of my let's play, wich is strange. Either they own it or not. I'm not worried anymore really, it does take the fun out of the let's plays a bit though.
As always, it seems to be about money. Sigh...

Thanks for the replies guys!

[ServiusTheBear]

Well I just got hit today for my part 5 of The walking dead. Nothing else was marked. I am intending to dispute this claim as I feel it is wrong. But I am checking up on this first before I dispute.

[Guerilla]

Hey guys, i got the same thing, 4 of my videos were rejected for monetization but only 1 was "Matched with third-party content" which was from this IDG Germany company, ill look into this and update if I find anything out.

[Vainamoinen]

That is interesting. I'm not sure what the protocol is here. They don't say what they think of as their protected material, but they can sack you anyway? What if the material they claim actually belongs to Telltale, and Telltale feels that these people actually illegally prohibit a means of advertisement for their games in your let's play videos?

IDG seems to be on a slippery slope here. Here's hoping these guys break their necks.

Youtube has recently suffered a desastrous defeat in a German court concerning copyright issues and might be more than careful regarding any claims made from that country, however rightful they may be. That is a little tidbit that might also come into play here.

[Guerilla]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7eTEjp5IsM

I don't understand, every sound effect I use I got from freesound.org, apart from The Walking Dead blood splatter logo in the intro I don't see ANYTHING that could be copy-written or belong to IDG and I can't find an address to e-mail them :/

[NukemDukem]

I just got smacked with this also!

I am in a middle of a TGN partnership and I can't have copy righted videos! but its not copy righted material!

Picture
http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/9881/fakecopyright.png

[ServiusTheBear]

Well I was hoping mike could have helped with this issue in some way, but no reply

[Brageyboy]

Someone talked about this on YouTube, apparently happened to someone who did a let's play on Modern Warfare. I'd say it's bogus but who knows...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff9Ljs6S2DQ

[ServiusTheBear]

Well another one of mine just got hit. Part 7 now. :S WTF. I just do not know how to dispute it as the have options and am clueless. They say Audiovisual content. So am kinda huh???

[NukemDukem]

This is total bogus. I have to delete this video because, Youtube is about to view my partnership application between 1-3 weeks and I can't be a partner if I got copy righted material on my channel.

This disupute can take a month to resolve....

[WabbitTwaks]

This is total bogus. I have to delete this video because, Youtube is about to view my partnership application between 1-3 weeks and I can't be a partner if I got copy righted material on my channel.

This disupute can take a month to resolve....
Meanwhile this IDG company gets to advertise on your stuff? That is so lame.

[blunderinggames]

It is indeed total bogus. It seems to me it's how some companies try and get some free adverts. If it happens to someone who is partner (or trying to become one like NukemDukem) it sucks. You can't monetize the video untill the dispute has been resolved. All because of what seems to be a way for shady companies to make a quick buck/euro.
They are basically stealing income from youtube partners.

I am not claiming IDG is a shady company, but recent activities sure suggest it.

[PsychoRaven]

You will find IDG hits any gameplay video. Another one is Sanoma something. can't remember the name. They are both publish foreign gaming magazines. You'll find they hit any let's play that gets put up there usually. Just dispute it and you'll win.

[NukemDukem]

You will find IDG hits any gameplay video. Another one is Sanoma something. can't remember the name. They are both publish foreign gaming magazines. You'll find they hit any let's play that gets put up there usually. Just dispute it and you'll win.

Thanks I know I will win, but will I win in the appropriate amount of time?
I am having my account reviewed by two different partnership and will get a reply 1-3 weeks I already submitted it yesterday

[PsychoRaven]

Shouldn't take long. Most people say it's removed almost right away. So I'd expect a day or two maybe a little longer.

[mrgaming4cheap]

I got hit too. I used nothing but gameplay footage. No extra music or images or anything else.

[ServiusTheBear]

If some one disputes it successfully let use know what you did. I know its not really doing anything as in blocking the video's I just rather not that the wrong lies attached to my videos along with anyone else.

[NukemDukem]

I just talked to a designer of tell tale. He said he will bring it up in a meeting with the other developers on Monday and hopefully they can resolve this issue soon

[Blofeld]

Ah,

Germany and Youtube, a sad story for people who enjoy the internet...

[dacrunch]

I'm disappointed with the lack of an official tellale response on this issue. I'm surprised telltale isn't a bit more pissed off with some random German company claiming ownership of their hard work.

[divisionten]

The lack of official response is due to the fact that Telltale is not like EA. it's a weekend, and their offices are closed.

[WabbitTwaks]

The lack of official response is due to the fact that Telltale is not like EA. it's a weekend, and their offices are closed.
You tell 'em, Div! hehehe :D

[Vainamoinen]

Hey, that's my line. And she's right again. They really earned that weekend too. :)

[NukemDukem]

I am surprised someone hasn't sued them for this. Apparently they are notorious for this shenanigan

[PsychoRaven]

Oh I'm sure someone will get sick of it eventually and sue. It's only a matter of time. They do need to be taken out though. Youtube needs to refine their policies and make these people prove they have a rightful claim. As it is they don't do that and leave it up to the person who's having the claim on them to do all the work disputing it.

[darkdomino]

I also have a Let's Play of The Walking Dead and IDG has filed a false claim against me as well. I filed a dispute a few days ago, but Youtube doesn't seem to be in a huge rush to do anything about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V7i_L4gcSM

Screenshot:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/p480x480/579009_10151581362075343_544505342_24003382_902789 636_n.jpg

Unless TellTale games used Angry Birds music in their game, I'm being trolled by CBS too.

[NukemDukem]

i got hit with cbs also in part 1 of the video. I re-uploaded and didnt get matched

[PsychoRaven]

I just sent this message to every single e-mail listed on IDG Germany Global Website
If you want to send the same e-mail here is the US PR Contacts:
http://www.idg.com/www/home.nsf/docs/us_pr_contacts

Hello,

snip

While what they are doing is wrong threatening them isn't the best way to handle it.

[Vainamoinen]

While what they are doing is wrong threatening them isn't the best way to handle it.

Agreed.

[Vainamoinen]

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't explicitly opposed to aggressiveness.

Being treated unjustly demands a strong response. But you will hardly be able to muster up a real shitstorm for IDG here, so your present course of action is primarily ineffective. I don't assume you can really present "evidence from thousands of gamers" concerning false claims (If you can, congrats! ;) ).

A single e-mail or call from Telltale might achieve more here.
I hope it comes to pass.

[PsychoRaven]

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't explicitly opposed to aggressiveness.

Being treated unjustly demands a strong response. But you will hardly be able to muster up a real shitstorm for IDG here, so your present course of action is primarily ineffective. I don't assume you can really present "evidence from thousands of gamers" concerning false claims (If you can, congrats! ;) ).

A single e-mail or call from Telltale might achieve more here.
I hope it comes to pass.

Exactly. And threatening to email and call every one there you can over and over only serves to annoy them and make things worse. Between Telltale and going through Youtube's dispute process you will be more effective.

[NukemDukem]

Well,
Whats done is done hopefully it all gets sorted out soon.

[PuerNoctis]

Hi all,

Well, got the same problem. My videos have not been deleted yet, however, they have been marked with the copyright claim right away after upload.

I have called the IDG Germany office as I wanted to know what copyright they are actually claiming, but the nice lady told me that since tomorrow's national holiday in Germany, all the important persons took a day off today.

She did tell me the mail address of the person who seems to can explain what is going on, but as he is "just" an online editor I don't know if he's really the right person to turn to. On the other hand, maybe he knows where to accquire the informations from...

EDIT: Actually, he's director of Content Management & Social Media - my bad.

I've sent them this subtle request (german, sry) - maybe there will be a informative answer if nothing else happens the next few days:


...
wie besprochen sende ich Ihnen per Mail meine Anfrage.

Es geht um folgende Sache: Am heutigen Montag (30.04.2012) habe ich auf der Videoplattform „YouTube“ ein sog. „Let’s Play“ Video des Computerspieles

„The Walking Dead“

hochgeladen. Direkt nach dem Upload wurde das Video von Google Inc. mit folgender Urheberrechtsmitteilung versehen:

Audiovisueller Content Verwaltet von:
IDG Germany

In den Internetforen des Entwicklers von „The Walking Dead“, Telltale Games, wird bereits heiß über dieses Thema diskutiert, da es sich hierbei anscheinend um keinen Einzelfall handelt, und bereits dutzende Videos mit vergleichbarem Inhalt entfernt wurden:

http://www.telltalegames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29579

Da anscheinend niemandem ganz klar ist, woran IDG Germany konkret Rechte an „The Walking Dead“, bzw. an dem Vertrieb von audiovisuellem Inhalt inne hat, bitte ich Sie freundlich darum, den Sachverhalt kurz zu erläutern. Von dem Sichtpunkt aller betroffenen besteht keinerlei Urheberrechtsanspruch der IDG Germany – aber leider fällt da der Informationsfluss durch Google auch etwas mau aus…

Ich hoffe Sie können hier etwas Licht ins Dunkeln bringen.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
...


Let's see.

Regards

P.S: I couldn't post this text until now, due to some forum database error. By the time of writing, two of my four videos were marked with the copyright claim notice. Now both notices are gone and videos are still up.

[Vainamoinen]

Nicely put, PuerNoctis. Wish you guys all the best.

[PuerNoctis]

HEUREKA!

The copyright claim was invalid. This reply to my mail came from IDG just now:


Hallo Herr *****,

dieser Hinweis wurde angezeigt, weil ein Youtube-Kanal im IDG-Netzwerk versehentlich ein Video global beansprucht hat.

Ich habe diesen Anspruch heute Morgen zurückgezogen und der Urheberrechts-Hinweis sollte dann im Laufe des Tages bei Ihrem Video verschwinden.

Viele Grüße,


Translation:


Hello Mr. ******,

The copyright notice was displayed because a YouTube channel in the IDG network globally claimed another video by accident.

I have removed the claim this morning and the copyright notice should vanish sometime today.

Best regards,

[Vainamoinen]

That's great but - did they say anything about all the OTHER people they smacked their invalid claims with?

[PuerNoctis]

No, that's all I got, no apologies or stuff like that. Just the mail I posted above. Also, since I didn't tell them the name of my YouTube channel nor gave them any links to my videos, they must have removed the claim alltogether.

But I fear that things are only going to be fine from this point on - don't know what happens to all the deleted videos, or channels being punished for breaking copyright rules, and I don't think there is anything that can be done. For this I know the "procedures" that Google follows not well enough... :(

[blunderinggames]

Quick update:

Today the copyright claims are gone. So it took 3 days in total, but ofcourse the weekend is in those 3 days. So they resolved it quick. It still kinda bothers me though. Again i don't make money from the videos, my channel is too small and i don't think one can monetize gameplay videos anyway. But still, for a company to just claim random stuff bothers me.
I wonder if there is just an algorythm that is used or if it's really a person manually selecting videos. Either way is annoying. Especially for people trying to make some euros (or dollars).
What bothers me the most is that there was no contact at all. Even a little email saying "whoops! our bad" would be enough for me. Ah well, ranting time is over. Thank you for listening to that guys :)

I still think someting should be done, with the only "power" we have.
Something like a video offensive or something?
All of us make a video talking about the idiocy of the claims and naming our fellow youtubers who got hit in the vid and links. Maybe somebody has a better idea?

Feel free to contact me via youtube, i would gladly collect the list of people that got hit with this and give them to everyone making a vid about this.
I know it won't change much, but at least we get to voice our opinion and maybe help fellow youtubers that got hit too.
Ok, ok really done ranting now.

[NukemDukem]

just had copyright removed from my videos.

[PuerNoctis]

Okay, a little follow up: Since I think that blunt protest is not the way to address this matter, I have sent a mail to copyright@youtube.com, hoping that it does have some kind of effect:


Hello,

I hope I am writing to the correct address, at least it seemed suitable. If you are not handling this kind of mail, I apologize and kindly ask you to forward it to the corresponding department.

On Monday the 30th of April I have uploaded three videos, with audio/video content from the Videogame

"The Walking Dead"

by Telltale Games, CA USA.

Right after upload, the videos have been marked with a copyright claim from "IDG Germany", a publisher for magazines who also focuses on videogames.

A lot of videos from gamers here in Germany containing footage of the above game have been marked with this claim, and videos have been removed in the last few days from their YouTube channels. Not knowing what rights IDG could possibly own on this game, I was curious and called the offices of IDG in Munich. After some phone calls and some mail traffic, I got the following message from the stakeholder of "Content Management & Social Media" at IDG:

(Translated)
/Hello Mr. ******,
The copyright notice was displayed because a YouTube channel in the IDG network globally claimed another video by accident. I have removed the claim this morning and the copyright notice should vanish sometime today./ /
Best regards,/

Shortly after I haved received this mail all the copyright claims have been removed from my videos, as well as from the ones of others that luckily had their videos not deleted by now (there was a discussion in the forums of telltalegames.com about this issue).

Seeing this, I am a little bit concerned. Not only that copyrights can be claimed "by accident", but also that videos have been removed and YouTube channels could have possibly be punished for copyright violations when there were non to begin with.

I kindly propose that Google Inc. tries to give a little bit more information on copyright claims when they are put on uploaded videos, so that users can see on what possible rights they are based on. I hope this seems like a reasonable idea and is technically possible. This would make future copyright issues more transparent than they are at the moment I think.

I really hope hearing from you soon.

With best regards,


Honestly, I don't think I will get a reply from Google, but nevertheless, I thought this might be a more suitable approach.

I will keep you up to date if I get an answer at all.

Cheers.

[PsychoRaven]

See guys. Told you it would work out. And see how being polite got something done? By keeping a level head. Contacting them directly and being polite about it the problem was solved a lot faster and it seems for all of you.

[Phantom Ryu]

I've also been hit with claims from IDG Germany on two of my wife's Let's Play videos. This isn't the first time this has happened to me, so let me clear up how this works for everyone who's confused.

YouTube has a program called "ContentID." It allows copyright holders to submit samples to YouTube. Every video that is uploaded to YouTube is run through ContentID to check for copyrighted material. If ContenID finds a "match" to a sample, YouTube gives you the "matched third party content" message on the video and gives you the chance to dispute the claim.

I have received 10+ of these messages regarding my channel since January, and NEVER have I had a valid claim. I have disputed every single one (from people such as "Music Publishing Rights Collecting Society" mostly). The ContentID program is broken - completely. It "hits" on things for the wrong copyright holders and misses a metric crap-ton of infringing content. But, U.S. Copyright law says that ISPs and sites like YouTube have to take "Reasonable Steps" to prevent copyright infringement or they will be liable for the infringement. Google's a huge company, but the ContentID program is likely the best that can be done with current technology.

So, I guess my main point is this: don't worry about the mistaken match. Dispute it, because it's wrong. (Now, if it's a copyright notice from TellTale games, then you can't dispute it.) I know YouTube tries to scare you with its notice about people who "abuse" the dispute process being kicked off of YouTube, but you're not "abusing" the system by disputing an invalid copyright claim.

Just know that no one's trying to make you out to be an infringer or a criminal - YouTube has to keep the content providers off their backs somehow, and this method is how they've (poorly) chosen to do that.

[PuerNoctis]

Very interesting insights PhantomRyu. I never had any troubles with this ContentID program, so personally I was rather shocked when I saw this on my videos.

If it's really that "simple" to just dispute the claim, I'll keep it in mind. On second thought, that's the most reasonable way to attend to these issues, as clearly, someone like IDG most probably doesn't own any rights on the contents of the videos at hand.

Of course, if Telltale claims their rights, that's another story - but anyone should be intelligent enough to determine that ;)

Sad how US copyright laws make things such a pain in the "bottecks" though...

[Phantom Ryu]

Actually, it's good that U.S. Copyright law is worded the way it is - it protects ISPs and sites like YouTube from liability. As long as they take reasonable measures to remove copyrighted material, they can't be sued for a video that you or I uploaded. If U.S. Copyright law weren't written like that, YouTube couldn't possibly exist - the costs of litigation would drive them out of business.

That being said, though, I've had no trouble disputing false copyright claims in the past - every single one of them has been retracted. As far as it being "easy" to dispute the claim, it is - as long as you're sure that you're right!

[ServiusTheBear]

Well I am glad they are gone from my vids. I do not think the process that youtube uses is good at all.

[Mike]

Sorry this happened to you guys. For the record, that company is not connected with us in any way, and we don't know why they're filing claims against so many videos. We have nothing to do with it, and we actively encourage and enjoy Let's Play style videos.

[gnubelebung]

I am fairly positive these copyright flags are not technically mismatches.

As someone pointed out, IDG is the owner of German gaming magazine Gamestar. Gamestar uploaded a video review of The Walking Dead on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTQ0bqYeJJU and has also started a Let's Play of the series. Phantom Ryu said that content owners can submit samples to Youtube, so I think it's a distinct possibility that IDG claimed those Walking Dead videos (with their commentary) as their intellectual property.

[DAISHI]

I just got this from a group called Digital Mind Entertainment and am in dispute.

[Vainamoinen]

Does this concern Telltale material?

[DAISHI]

The claim starts in the middle of the video, when the characters are having a conversation. So I'm assuming yes. Oh, if you mean by the game, yes, I'm Let's Playing "The Walking Dead".