False copyright claims are a real headache for creators on YouTube. Dominik “Domtendo” Neumayer had the bitter experience of this when an individual, supposedly a lawyer for Nintendo, requested the removal of his videos under threat of closing his channel. The email address used, which came from a secure email service, was one of the first signs of a possible scam. Even though he began to have doubts, the YouTuber chose to act quickly by deleting his videos, despite the unfortunate consequences for the referencing of his account and his copyright.
He then realized that other creators, such as Waikuteru, a Zelda game modder, were also affected by the same requests. These incidents show how easy it is for malicious people to sow doubt among creators, by playing on their fear of irreversible sanctions. Even if Domtendo managed to unmask the impostor thanks to legal and technical inconsistencies, the psychological and financial impact of these situations is not trivial and leaves traces.
The impostor pressure led to a series of video removals, which temporarily reduced the visibility of Domtendo’s channel and affected his relationship with his audience. The imposture even extended to communication tools like Discord, suggesting that he had gained access to private spaces.
We then realize the vulnerability of content creators on platforms that we think straddle respect for copyright protection, who find themselves powerless and without immediate solution when they are victims of attempts to fraud or harassment from malicious individuals, who are unfortunately legion on YouTube.
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