Someone Stole My Video in a Really Creepy Way | Patreon Vlog

Many viewers saying to let things go, but I think it's alright to be a little vindictive at times >:) Rmb that you could also have easily let all that hate mail go but I think it was a brilliant move channelling all that into several successful and highly entertaining videos, all the while calling out those bloody buffoons. That definitely was not a waste of time nor energy I think.

When arguing, you can be right or you can be happy.

will newton

So creepy. I just don't understand how you could put that together and feel good about yourself afterwards.

David Davies

Every successful artist has had this happen. Don't fixate on the negative you have just finished something great, with your ride across Japan. That and i don't like your complaint videos.

Troy Lindstrom

Whoa. It's so weird!!!!! It wasn't even inspired by your video, just straight up copy. Well if tiny clips of music that sound vaguely similar to other songs can win court cases I'm confident this counts as copyright too. It's hard to know what the next move should be though. You have to be careful not to hound him as the internet and people on it can be cruel. But he should appreciate the gravity of what he's done. Would you try to open a conversation with him? Maybe it would help you get a sense of closure

Sian Smith

I agree as well, just leave it, not worth the time, as long as it has been reported in any way so people are aware it should be enough. If it continues then that is something else. As always, thanks for the content Chris, keep it up!

Cesar S.

Chris! Thanks for all the excellent content that you’ve been cranking out. To the case of the content pilferer, bad form and shame on him indeed. I’m with the leave-it-be crowd, and what you did already seems like the right response. I am so curious to know why this person did what he did ... seems like a lot of effort to go to and for what? Is there a mass demand for kanji instructional videos en espanol? If anything, you should just dub a video in future with Spanish sub-titles and send him & his the link.

I agree with the rest. Don’t waste your time and energy on that guy. You’re so much better than that. Although I feel you on how incredibly irritating some people’s general lack of decency can be. Karma will kick him down a flight of stairs eventually. Figuratively speaking of course.

Chris, I agree it is plagiarism, but as to what to do? well be the better man and just let this go. If he does it again, then I would suggest taking action, but if not? then just ignore him for the rest of time, it isn't worth your time dealing with this guy. You still have Journey Across videos to release and you should focus on other projects as well. Don't waste your time on him.

Xenin

I know I'm in the minority here but I think you should not let it slide. What he did is not "creepy", its a simple act of stealing. Some people lack imagination and have a bad sense of humor, so the only way they can become popular is by stealing ideas from others. You definitely shouldn't be upset and angry, but you should act on it. If you ignore it, you're practically encouraging others to do the same. What then? You can always make a video about it (that's what you do anyway, making videos) and viewers will be interested to hear your opinion on it. Everybody wins!

just leat it go, no need to make it a bigger then what it was, he did remove your jokes after all so

Jesper Forsberg

It might be creepy to you but I'll take it as a compliment. Other people’s jokes, skits and anything similar have been copied and plagiarized for centuries. It only shows that yours is good and worth reenacting for. Please be a good lad and just let it slide. He might be bullied for it; you don't want your fans or others to bully him, don't you? People can say really stupid things online and it can hurt the recipient more than you can imagine. It won't cost you a dime if you forgive just this once. :)

This was a first for me, too.. It's really bizarre tbh.. O.o

Nari Kim

Like others suggest I would let it go but with the caveat of keeping an eye on things to make sure it doesn't continue. This only came up because somebody came across the video and took particular notice AND bothered to tell you. There's probably a whole bunch of people on Youtube copying your videos, jokes, hairstyles, facial hair... Regarding backlash, has anybody read "You Have Been Publicly Shamed" by Jon Ronson?

Creepy dick move on his part. I'd leave it, though. You already called some attention to it on social media; he's aware he dun fuck'd up. Don't give him more traffic by calling it out on your main channel. (Remember the whole Logan Paul thing? Pretty sure he got a ton more views and follows JUST because people were talking about it.) If it really bugs you, have you tried talking to him privately? (Maybe with the help of a Spanish-speaking follower who is sworn to secrecy?) It's a rather negative thing to bring on your channel. It wouldn't fit with the vibe of the rest of your work. Plus, you've (hopefully) gained a ton of new subscribers from the still-ongoing-on-YouTube Journey Across Japan series - having a "look at what trash this weirdo is" video in the middle of that may turn people off to your channel. I know I've unsubbed and never went back to some channels I recently subbed to, just because they seemed to be more drama and hype than actual news or content. Besides - do you REALLY want to waste your time filming and editing a video for this guy? You could better spend that time editing the rest of the cycling videos, or filming/editing something new. Even getting silly drunk at a bar, or laying down on the floor staring into the void and contemplating all of existence is a better use of your time. If you still feel the need to make a cathartic video, maybe just patreon-only. You've already got us hooked - we're not leaving ya.

I'd let it go, you're above this. It could become petty and he's not worth labouring over a video. Don't give him the oxygen of publicity, but do use this video to complain to YouTube. Your energy is so much better spent creating amazing things elsewhere 😊

tbh i think he does deserves the backlash, theres no way he can justify using someone elses intellectual property (if it comes under that). To be honest, a parody video could be quite funny if its done tastefully

Can we make Yokodabi a running joke on the channel? Maybe put a poster of his face in the back of the shot on in your sofa room?

Let it go. Who cares. You already brought the wrath of the internet down upon him once without really trying, and anything more I think would be a waste of your time, and possibly cruel if it subjects this guy to more abuse. No doubt self-appointed enforcers are already going to be monitoring his channel for a while to police for further infractions, or just to harass the guy, even without further encouragement from you.

Leo

In a lot of ways, Chris making a video encouraging people towards producing original content would be much more of a slap in the face than any other reaction video.

Hi Chris. On the topic of your video, I personally don't think it would be a good idea to make a reaction video. Not because it wasn't wrong what he did but it might risk making you look petty or going overboard with the reaction (For someone that may deserve very little of your regard). However, I trust it would be a funny video. On another note, your eyes seem very red in the video. Hopefully you're not missing out on too much sleep.

Looking forward to the diss track.. haha ;)

i speak spanish and that yokodabi didnt just copy the scenes but what he says is directly translated from english to spanish. "pero no se parecen nada" is literally "they look nothing alike" in spanish

Just send him that clip of Natsuki saying go fuck yourself.

Matthew Hvaal

The idea of making a more public video about this is interesting, on a couple of different levels. At first glance, it seems like the right course of action. Another creator essentially stole your published ideas, fairly blatantly, and used them for his own monetary gain without any credit or mention towards you. It seems only fair, as you don’t technically have any legal grounds, to use your influence to create a wider awareness of this situation, if only to stop the guy from stealing more content in the future. An employee of the gaming news website IGN was recently fired for employing a similar tactic for his video reviews, so there is some precedent that this is plagiarism and, at the very least, morally wrong. The internet, however, can be merciless in its pursuit of justice and singling out a youtuber with such a big audience could potentially lead to some nasty unintended consequences for the guy, which others have already mentioned in more detail. On another level, YouTube drama is incredibly popular right now, and is frequently featured on reddit and the like. There are countless examples of people massively increasing their popularity and reach through publicising YouTube drama. People come for the drama, then stay for the content. On the other hand, I have heard you say it disappoints you that your most popular videos seem to be the ones produced with less effort, that involve buzz words or events that are easy to click on but may not contain the same level of artistry or cinematography that you put in many of your other videos. I guess it really boils down to two moral questions. 1. Does this guy deserve the potential backlash from this video? 2. Will your artistic integrity let you feel okay about profiting off this situation? Personally, I feel like the YouTube drama space isn’t really your style, but I have no doubt that you could make a funny and engaging video on the topic. I love the work you are doing and, clearly, others do too (some to the point of stealing). Keep doing what you are doing. I, for one, am going to support you either way.

You have 1.1 mil subscribers, calling him out might result in a tidal wave of abuse that can be really harmful. He did a totally dick thing, but you don’t know if one of your sub is going to respond by doxing him or worse. Love your content, can’t wait to see the Ryotoro q&a vid! <3

Don't worry about it man. Although, he could have given credit or at least declared it a parody.

I suppose there's the old cliche, "Imitation is the highest praise," or somesuch. Devil's advocate, perhaps he thought the video deserved a Spanish edition for those who don't speak English? Granted, the polite thing to do would to be to alert you at the least, or at best request permission to do so. But then again, not everyone is capable of behaving with simple common decency or responding in a way that is generally socially acceptable.

Of course it’s a breach of copyright. That’s why he removed those bits. It’s not worth suing him but certainly notify YouTube.

Peter Foss

Definitely a strange thing to do so blatantly, but it looks like its somewhat resolved. Going any further or making a video all about it might not be a good idea though as others here have said. I've loved the videos from part 2 so far - thanks for all the effort you've put into making this series!

Jonathan Turmaine

I'd pay good money to see a reaction video from you in Spanish, in the 'Chris vs Trolls' style! In all seriousness, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. You called him out on his BS and he edited his video. Take it as a compliment! I'm really looking forward to the Shimanami Kaido video up next, I really enjoy cycling and make an effort to do so wherever I visit - this cycle route looks wonderful & I plan on doing it in November!

That is creepy, but like others are saying, no need to give that guy any more attention. Although I get being annoyed as all hell, it’s better to let it go, it would probably feel better to hash it out over a beer with friends than make a video anyway :) 🌷

Yeah that's just weird and lazy. Don't think it needs a video. The guy already knows he's messed up and have a feeling it could create a bit of a witch hunt. Arguably he deserves it and a video could be informative (and no doubt entertaining!) but probably best to just rise above.

Have you tried or been able to reach out to him? Sometimes the best thing to do is to try and resolve things amicably. Maybe one of your Patrons who's fluent in Spanish can help reaching out. Now, if that goes poorly, then I'd report him to YouTube and sleep like a baby.

Argus9 (Jonathan)

Just let it go. It's out there, what happened, and that's enough. You've got better things to make :)

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition, eh? Sorry to hear. I hope you manage to shake off the creepy vibes. Unless he’s looking for more trouble, maybe this backlash was enough for him to call it quits with the stealing. Thanks for putting out all of these great videos!

Oscar Sjöstrand

This is properly whack. Do what you can to take this faker down. That said, was hoping to use a couple of audio clips (no more than 2 mins total) from one of the Abroad in Japan podcasts to use as listening material for an English lesson. Hope that's cool Chris?

Perhaps he's just trying to get a good grasp of your style because he considers you and your videos a huge influence to his video production practice. Just sucks he ended up actually posting it on Youtube. Anyway, point here is to be the bigger person. You don't have to level yourself down to the effect of mortifying his very humanity just because he copied you -- you've already done enough (I realized I just echoed fellow Patron Ms. Katherine Donaldson here in a way, lol). Maybe you could make a video encouraging him and everyone else to pursue video production further but leaning towards the importance of originality. In that way, everyone wins and everyone gets to learn as well. Just a thought, mate. Be the self-help buff that you are? I don't know. What would Natsuki think? Risottoro? Mr. Snuggles?

The last thing that person needs is more attention. Attention towards him = more views for him = more money.

Wow, "his" jokes doesn't even come through in Spanish, it sounds rehearsed, he should've added a laugh track while he was there. British wittiness does not work the same way in spanish. Anyway, I agree that you should just keep on keeping on. Your work speaks volumes by itself. There will always be leeches.

Um... creeper status: maximum. I would hate for him to get any more notoriety (good or bad) than he already has, but I understand wanting to call him out as much as possible to make it clear that what he's done is a dick move. Your comment on his video was pretty good lol. Your dry sarcasm is much appreciated.

Judging from the replies on youtube and his @'s on twitter, he has to have known he F'd up. Sucks that he didn't acknowledge his plagiarism after he got exposed, which says even more about his character. Would be cool to see a video about this -- as long as it's not a Youtube PPV boxing match 😅

Eric Sison

I'd let it go. You don't need to be a YouTuber who mocks smalltime YouTubers, it's not a good vibe. You've already shamed him into editing his video, and you've gotten it off your chest here and on Twitter. And do you really need to send him more views? But if you want to make a more general video about weird plagiarism, where this features as a small segment, that'd feel okay.

Katherine Donaldson

And you could always of course release your work under a creative commons license i.e. <a href="https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/licensing-types-examples/licensing-examples/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/licensing-types-examples/licensing-examples/</a>#by-nc-sa or <a href="https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/licensing-types-examples/licensing-examples/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/licensing-types-examples/licensing-examples/</a>#by-nc-nd

Surely it's pure plagiarism? Maybe make a video on that topic (even parodying is only considered fair play in certain circumstances in the UK legal system - see Newport state of mind) and call the chap out! Is there any option to report a video as plagiarised?

I'd watch that XD El Natsuki banditos

Imitation is the highest form of flattery, apparently. I'd take it as a compliment. The fact that he's had to go through and edit out your jokes must of been soul destroying for him anyway. Just make a video about it with Natsuki dressed up as the Spanish guy, that'd be hilarious.

I'm *not* a lawyer, but from what I know about copyright law in North America at least, you may actually have a case - <a href="http://cjam.info/en/translation-and-copyright/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://cjam.info/en/translation-and-copyright/</a> in Canada for example, or look at the definition of derivative works in the US <a href="https://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html</a>#101 In Japan it appears to be one of your economic rights as part of copyright law: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_law_of_Japan" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_law_of_Japan</a>#Economic_rights That being said, I'd seriously consider the potential costs of actually retaining a lawyer to fight for this now that the person has cut out the translated portions of the video. You've probably shamed him enough so that he won't do it again, and you probably could pay someone to write him a cease and desist letter, but again, that would be expensive. This could also affect your reputation. All in all, it was a shitty thing to do, wtf, but at least he knows now that people know and he got caught and hopefully won't do it again.

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". Somehow though this doesn't strike home if people try to make money of it tho.

Best of luck at the event, and you might want to sacrifice another lamb to attempt to keep Natsuki in line... That being said, I can't wait to see the video of this event!

Adam Penner

Loving all the hard work you're putting in and loving the Journey Across Japan series! Thank you for keeping us entertained 😊