A YouTuber who has been stealing my images, trimming off the credits, and then putting them on his *monetized* channel just sent me a threatening email (excerpted) after I sent a Youtube takedown notice.
Folks, this is not the way to ask an artist if you can use their imagery.
Folks, this is not the way to ask an artist if you can use their imagery.
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And if you get caught having done something unethical, don't double down with threats and more rudeness. Apologize and try to make it right.
We live in a society, supposedly.
There's also no reason to trim my images just to remove the *very unobtrusive* watermark credit that I place on them.
It's hard to see it as anything but malicious.
Instead, he chose to insult me and threaten me, describing his monetizing my artwork that he stole as a "mutually beneficial relationship."
Sometimes people show you who they are with such clarity.
My concern is researching, translating, and painting.
Any YouTubers concerned about YouTube being "less fun" because they can't profit off of stealing other people's hard work need to reconsider the value of their content.
I hope they'll stop blustering about and just give you credit. But you can also contact Youtube. They may force the content to be taken down, give the uploader a copyright strike, or award you the ad revenue, among other consequences.
They have to actively remove your watermark. They know exactly what they are doing.
BTW, people simply love your paintings. At least a few said they later bought your books.
See? This is how easy it is!
And I'm really happy that folks are enjoying the yokai tours!
A litany of threats, followed by a pathetic “let’s just be grown-ups about this and do better” cliche.
The grown-up thing to do is to NOT steal people’s content and throw a shit fit when you get caught, right? Tsk.
Imagine getting caught selling something that you stole, and then getting indignant about it and threatening the person you stole it from.
If he could find a way to monetize hypocrisy he wouldn't have to steal other people's work to make a living anymore.
I am happy that I was able to help!
And you're right, bad actors have definitely given copyright a bad name in many peoples' eyes. But copyright is vital!
The fact that he wrote this email and not a more conciliatory shows that he knows he is in the wrong, and that the takedown requests scare him.