Video theft and content piracy are major issues facing creators today, especially with the rise of platforms like TikTok. It’s far too easy for someone to download a video, reupload it, and gain views and followers from someone else’s work [1]. TikTok in particular makes it simple to edit and share videos, which enables content theft to spread rapidly.
As a creator, it’s essential to monitor where your content is being posted to defend your rights and revenue. If your creative work is being reposted without permission, you could be missing out on potential views, followers, and profits. By keeping track of where your videos appear, you can take action against infringements and protect your brand. This guide will explore proactive strategies to spot if your video is being stolen on TikTok or other platforms.
Search TikTok
TikTok has a built-in search function you can use to look for your own videos. Go to the search bar at the top of the app and type in keywords from your video’s title, description, hashtags, or even partial phrases from the video. As noted by TikTok’s help center, “To search users, videos, sounds, LIVEs, and hashtags: 1. Tap the search icon in the top right of your screen. 2. Enter what you’re looking for in the search bar” (Source). Trying searching a unique phrase from your video description or using a hashtag you added. The search results will show videos matching your query. Browse through to see if your content appears.
You can also search for partial phrases or keywords rather than the full video title or description. As Hootsuite suggests, “Type the name or type of video you’re looking for into the search bar at the top of the TikTok app home page. You can search for usernames, songs, hashtags, captions, and more” (Source). Searching for incomplete portions of your video title/description may help track down copies or modified versions of your original work.
Use Third-Party Tools
Services like TikTok Downloader can search TikTok for copies of your video. These third-party tools allow you to input a link to your original video, and will scour TikTok looking for duplicates or partial duplicates. If a copy is found, it will show you the infringing video so you can take further action.
Other tools like Video Raider also enable searching across TikTok for copies of videos. They work similarly by allowing you to provide your original video, which their system will then use to identify any matches or near matches that may exist on the platform. These types of third-party services provide an efficient way to monitor if your content is being reused without permission.
Look at Your Analytics
One way to find if your video is being stolen is to look at your YouTube Analytics or other platform analytics for sudden spikes in views from unknown sources. According to Google, you should pay attention to traffic sources and look for spikes coming from sites you don’t recognize. Unusual spikes in views, especially from different countries, could indicate your video is being shared without your permission.
Keep a close eye on your traffic sources, geographic locations, and demographic data. If you notice odd patterns, investigate further to determine if your content is being reposted. Your analytics can provide valuable clues that your video is being used without authorization.
Reverse Image Search
One way to check if your video is being reposted without permission is to do a reverse image search on keyframes from the video. You can extract keyframes from the video and then upload or link to those individual images in reverse image search engines like Google Images or TinEye.
For example, you could take 3-5 keyframes from throughout your video, save them as image files, and then do the following:
- Go to Google Images and click on the camera icon in the search bar to paste an image URL or upload the keyframe image.
- Go to TinEye and paste an image URL or upload the keyframe image.
The reverse image search will show you if those keyframes appear on other websites, indicating your video may have been reposted without permission. This can help you identify if and where your full video is being reused without consent.
Check Your Comments
One way to detect if your video has been reposted without permission is to scour the comments on your original YouTube video for clues. Viewers who have seen your content reposted elsewhere may mention it in the comments. For example, you may see comments like “I just saw this on TikTok!” or “Why did someone reupload this to Instagram?” This indicates your content is being reused without consent.
Make sure to read new comments on a regular basis, as viewers tend to mention stolen videos soon after discovering them. You can also try searching comments for key terms like “stolen,” “reposted,” “duet,” or the names of other platforms. This manual screening of comments takes time and effort, but can uncover copyright violations you’d otherwise miss.
According to a Reddit user, combing through comments helped them realize their YouTube video had been re-uploaded and gone viral on TikTok without credit [1]. So keep a close eye on feedback from your viewers – they may provide the first clues your content is being misused elsewhere.
Use Watermarks
Adding watermarks to your videos is an effective way to make it harder for others to repost your content. Watermarks clearly identify you as the original creator and discourage reuse of your videos. According to Sprout Video, dynamic watermarks that display personal information make it nearly impossible to cleanly rip and repost a video.
When adding a watermark, make sure it is prominently displayed and does not obstruct important visuals. Position the watermark in a corner or along the bottom edge. You can create custom watermarks using free or paid tools. Include your channel name, logo, website URL, social media handles, or other identifying information.
With an unobtrusive yet very visible watermark, potential video thieves will know the content belongs to you. This deters unauthorized reposting and allows viewers to trace copies back to your original video and channel.
Report Copyright Violations
If you find your video content being used without permission on TikTok, you can report it directly to TikTok using their copyright reporting tool. As per TikTok’s Copyright Infringement page, you can submit a copyright report by:
- Going to your profile page
- Tapping the three dots in the top right corner
- Selecting “Report a problem”
- Choosing “Intellectual property infringement”
- Selecting “Copyright Infringement Report”
- Following the instructions to submit your report
In the report, you’ll need to provide details like the URL of your original video, proof of ownership, and the URL of the infringing TikTok video. TikTok reviews these reports and will remove videos that violate copyright. This is the fastest way to get infringing content taken down directly through TikTok’s process.
Issue DMCA Takedowns
If TikTok does not remove infringing content after you have reported it, you can send a DMCA takedown notice. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) provides a process for copyright holders to request the removal of infringing content.
To issue a DMCA takedown notice to TikTok:
- Gather details about the infringing content like the URL and account username.
- Draft a DMCA takedown notice letter specifying the infringing content.
- Include your contact information, statement of copyright ownership, and signature.
- Send the DMCA notice to TikTok’s copyright agent listed on their website (https://www.tiktok.com/legal/report/Copyright).
TikTok is required by law to expeditiously remove content after receiving a valid DMCA notice. This is a more formal process than just reporting copyright infringement, but may be necessary if your requests are ignored.
Conclusion
To summarize, there are several strategies you can use to monitor if your videos are being reposted on TikTok without permission. Manually searching TikTok using relevant keywords is a good starting point. Utilizing third-party tools like TikTok search engines can help uncover copies faster. Analyzing your video analytics for traffic drops or geography changes may indicate someone is redistributing your content. Performing reverse image searches on major platforms can also uncover unauthorized duplicates.
Checking comments on your original videos for mentions of TikTok can provide clues. Using watermarks and visual identifiers makes it harder for copies to pass as original. If you do find your content posted without authorization, you can report violations to TikTok and issue DMCA takedown notices to protect your intellectual property rights.
The key is to be proactive about monitoring where your videos spread to prevent large-scale theft. Your creative work and brand identity have value, so take steps to guard against unauthorized use on TikTok and other platforms. With vigilance and prompt action, you can maintain control over how your content gets distributed online.
