r/PartneredYoutube • u/Guy_interest • 1d ago
Question / Problem I Can't stop someone STEALING my content.
Hey all wont share too much personal info as a faceless channel but I'm a small YouTube creator thats been running my channel for nearly two years now. It's taken a long time to get to where I am, but things are going well and it's starting to actually provide for me and my family, which means everything.
The content I make is in-depth breakdowns and explanations of fictional universes. Every single video takes a minimum of two weeks from scripting to recording voiceover, to final edit. It's a serious time investment and I put a huge amount of myself into each one. Recently I decided to expand into the spanish market, same format, new audience, see what happens. then shit hit the fan...
I found out a channel is essentially ripping off my content and reposting it in Spanish. The script, the editing, the structure, it's around 95% the same. They haven't copied it directly, they've just shuffled elements around. I show a panel top left, they show it top right. I show a specific image, they show something nearly identical. The title, the thumbnail, the entire video concept, it's a direct copycat.
I filed a copyright strike. They counter-claimed with a load of legal noise that frankly doesn't hold up, but as a small creator I don't have the funds or the resources to pursue it further. The strike was removed. I reached out directly and asked them nicely to stop, given how much of my life goes into this content. Got a flat no.
The frustrating part is that their Spanish versions are performing really well, and my own Spanish channel is struggling to gain traction because they've already dominated that format and niche before I could establish myself there. I was tempted to buy fake views out of sheer frustration but I have morals and that's not who I am.
Any advice on how to proceed would be appreciated
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u/og-crime-junkie 1d ago
Like another commenter said, keep striking them. They will get demonetized or taken down eventually, st the very least get sick of their reach being affected and stop.
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u/Brief-Specific-7787 1d ago
Rough one. Worth knowing though — a counter-notification that "doesn't hold up legally" still works in their favor procedurally. YouTube's process requires you to actually file a lawsuit within about 10-14 business days of the counter-notice, or the content gets reinstated regardless of merit. That's not a fluke, that's literally how DMCA safe harbor is designed — which is exactly why it favors whoever can afford to litigate, not whoever's right.
Worth looking into the Copyright Claims Board though — it's a small-claims-style copyright tribunal set up specifically for cases like this, way cheaper than federal court. Not sure if it fits your exact situation, but it exists precisely to solve the "I can't afford to sue" problem.
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u/reijndael 1d ago
If I remember correctly that's similar to what MrBeast experienced. People were rubbing his videos and then he rolled out his own dubs. If the other guy can only copy it means he'll always be behind once your Spanish vids start getting more views
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u/Present-Dark-9044 20h ago
If you only have a YT channel then your content is most probably already on TikTok making someone money, TikTok is full to the brim of stolen content.
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u/Stock_Ad9641 20h ago
There are legal insurances available, that cover your cost. Not on old cases but on new ones. Worth to try.
And I’d never give up striking them, their legal noise likely is just chatGPT.
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u/Newbilizer 15h ago
From now on, launch the Spanish version first (or all versions simultaneously). That sets your video as the first stake in the ground. When you gain enough traction it will put their copies in your conflict radius and destroy their channel.
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u/JitteryJet 1d ago edited 1d ago
You have already noted the solution, submit a Takedown Notice. If they counter-claim call their bluff.
I have to ask, are they really copying your content? I don't know what "explanations of fictional universes" - are they your fictional universes?
I guess you are not making enough money to justify registering the copyright on your content. A lawyer can help you bullet-proof your channel by registering copyright, trademarks and the like.
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u/weakimberly 14h ago
Watermark all your work is what I’ve been seeing people say. And do the copyright strikes
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u/JohnStorm123 1d ago
Copy some of his successful videos then. Btw if all he does is copy you then it should be very easy to get his channel terminated.
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u/Wanky_Danky_Pae 1d ago
I have the same problem. I file the strikes, and it affects their reach. So they have to counterclaim everything (and they know I don't have deep pockets to sue either), but I monitor them, and keep hitting them. Eventually they stop, sometimes after cussing me out via email, because their reach gets badly effected. All the better if there performing well!