A couple of weeks ago I started a program that I hope we can all use to organize the fight against piracy. Basically, UMD users can submit tips directly to an official list that each producer has, and they can work together to get them taken down. I'll post a modified version of a post I made in the Store Owners forum two weeks ago.

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Okay guys, I've been working on that system that should help us work with each other to battle piracy. It's based around a new Piracy Tips page that webmasters will find linked on their profile to the left. When I get a new tip, I'll start adding it there for you.

Some of you get piracy tips every day from fans who care. Now you can make them your Copyright Assistants, and they'll also be able to submit found copyright violations to your list. To add an assistant, edit any site listing and find the section labeled "Copyright Assistants" and enter their UMD ID there (find that on their profile). These chosen users will see a personalized Piracy Tips page where they can easily submit offending links directly to your list. Your helper's status is not revealed to the rest of UMD.

You can delete or archive your tips at will. But if you get a lot of tips and want to keep track of all the takedown progress, each tip can be set to a status of "Takedown Submitted" or ultimately "Content Removed."

Your assistant can also change the status of the tips they've submitted, so if you are tasking them with actually submitting takedown notices on your behalf, you can track the status of each tip. For your control, they can only update the status once you've checked the new tip yourself and set it to "verified." This option could be important to regulate the process, especially if compensation is involved. If you trust your assistant and don't want to check each new tip first, you can set any assistant to have all their tips auto-verified.

You can provide your assistants with the info needed to plug into the takedown forms or to send emails. When you edit a site listing, there is a new section for that. This information is all optional of course, and will be displayed for your assistant right on the Piracy Tips page, along with direct links to the takedown forms. You can specify which of your assistants can actually see this information, or you can not supply it in the first place.

Any webmaster can use this system: You only need to have a site listing here, not a UMD store. Each download store has a corresponding site listing, which is where you would assign its assistants and takedown info.

I think it's clear that how you use this system is completely up to you. Use it as a tool just for you, or enlist the help of multiple others. You'll have to decide on any compensation and other aspects of the workflow between you and your assistants.

Long term, I hope that we'll see an organized effort between producers, fans, and the UMD to really become a force against piracy.

Peace,
Messmaster

I think it's long overdue that I buy you a drink.

Silly question but can tips can only be submitted if you're a copyright assistant for a particular producer?

The Piracy Tips link at the bottom of UMD works for anyone. You don't have to be named an assistant, and you don't even have to be logged in. I get those submissions directly.

If you happen to be an assistant, UMD knows this and shows you a lot more on that same page: You'll see all the sites you're currently assisting, all your past submitted tips (which you can update), plus you'll see all the information that your producers have supplied for you to use for the takedown requests (if any). Your tips are sent directly to the appropriate producer's tip list in this case.

Messmaster

Yeah, I tried to do that but after clicking "add url", it says "Please check the form for errors and try again."

It gives the same error if the url starts with https://www or http://www. or www: or without anything before the domain name.

Sorry, not participating unless there's a 1-800 number.

The lack of a cash reward is kinda bothering me.

Piracy Tip: Change the original title of the video to something generic.

Am I doing this right?

Probably. Is it wrong that I find it hard to care about things that don't benefit me?

What about all the material from retired producers?

No, it just means you're a sociopath, and it's fine.

I mean what about it? Treat it the same as any copyright. Current copyright laws are the life of the author + 70 years. At least until Disney bribes congress to change that...yet again.

Unless you're talking about a Charlie Chaplin pieing or something along those lines, no WAM produced falls into the category of public domain.

Well, it sounds like this is an initiative meant for rightsholders who are current UMD members (or at least lurkers), whether they're active or "retired" as producers. Which makes sense, I guess? I don't see how UMD could have a broader role in copyright enforcement than that, or that it should.

I'm still working on things and I got to that just last night. Thanks for everybody who has already started using the system!

MM

A lot of producers are telling me that straightup email is simple and usually works. So now, on the Edit Site form, you can supply a sample email template for your assistants to use. If you're stuck, there is a link that will plop a sample email in there for you. Your assistants will see it on their Report Piracy page.

MM

I'm confused or maybe just dumb. Is there a link I'm missing. In the past I've just sent links of pirated vids to the store owner. I don't need compensation for just doing the right thing, but I would definitely do it more if it was easier.

What's up Judyanne! The Report Piracy link is at the bottom of every page on UMD. Anybody can use it, logged in or not. You can keep on doing it this way if you were.

If you happen to be an "assistant" to one or more producer, then that same page will have a pulldown where you can say which site was actually offended. This way, it gets added to the appropriate producer's Tip List, and he/she is notified.

Doing it either of these ways instead of inboxing it will let us actually organize the links into a system for the producer, and track which ones still need to be removed.

Assistants also see additional tools and information provided by their producers, in case they are doing takedowns for them.

MM

Agreed in that there isn't anymore that UMD can do about it. But it doesn't make it right to pirate work of producers that have retired.

Hell, there are some works from producers still making that have been discontinued because the model in question has been harassed or threatened.

It's really simple, just don't upload other people's work, make and upload your own instead.

I just heard Disney claimed ownership of the pie.
Looks like we're all doomed now.

Here's something to think about with Disney. They are the biggest fighter for stronger copyright laws, yet have made most of their money off of stories that are public domain.

Is that a greater percentage irony, or hypocrisy?