QUESTION

Can I sue a guy for copying my video and claiming it as his own?

Asked on Jun 05th, 2013 on Entertainment Law - Oregon
More details to this question:
A website copied my Youtube video and got 1.1 million views in 2 days and he claims its his video on his site. My video is giving this guys site views and he has a bunch of merchandise he sells so people are probably supporting him because of a video he stole from me. I want to know if I can sue him for using my video and claiming it which is now giving him more fame for other people's work.
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4 ANSWERS

Susan Marie Basko
If you own the copyright of the video, you can file DMCA take down notice with Youtube. Log into your Youtube account, go to the video, click on the flag icon below the video, and follow the prompts to the DMCA Copyright take down. If you make a false claim, you can be sued. Can you sue the man for copyright infringement? Only if you have registered copyright with the US Copyright Office. Also, you will need to hire a lawyer to go into Copyright court, which may be quite expensive. Keep in mind, the 1.1 million views may be real, or may be paid-for fake views.
Answered on Jun 05th, 2013 at 10:34 PM

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Internet Law Attorney serving Beverly Hills, CA
2 Awards
If your video was an original work, and you put a copyright notice on it when it was published on You Tube, you can sue for Copyright Infringement and actually compel the person to take down your video.
Answered on Jun 05th, 2013 at 10:11 PM

Responses are for general informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship.

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Acquisitions Attorney serving Lincoln, NE at Jayne L. Sebby
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Anything put on YouTube, no matter how carefully copyrighted, is pretty much gone. You could sue the guy who took it but you'd have to prove that you didn't intend for anyone to copy it - which is pretty much the whole idea behind that YouTube. However, if you can prove that 1) you own the copyright to the original footage or that you created the footage and 2) the guy is falsely claiming it as his own in public, you have a case. Contact the owner of the service the guys site is located on and file a complaint first. They may help you get the footage taken down. If not, you'll have to turn to a court.
Answered on Jun 05th, 2013 at 10:11 PM

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Theodore M. Roe
Yes. This is textbook copyright infringement.
Answered on Jun 05th, 2013 at 10:11 PM

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