My song on bogus websites

[jdstamper]

Occasionally I do a Google search on my name / music to see what pops up.

Today the search results came up with one of my songs, listed on dozens or even hundreds of bogus websites. When you try to open any of the sites you get a message similar to this: Click to allow notifications to prove you're not a robot. Of course, I don't click it ... we all know better than that, right? Because it's very likely you would end up receiving a lot of unwanted spam ads, or possibly even malware.

The name of the song is "Surf Karma", and it was placed in a good library many years ago, thanks to a Taxi listing. Then 4 years ago it was included on a valid Animoto list of best travel songs (to use in travel videos).

Now more recently it appears that bogus websites copied and propagated that Animoto list many times over. Lots of the bogus sites may be rooted in India.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has had experience with this?

Thanks, Jim

[funsongs]

Pardon the obvious question: did you register the song with your PRO when it was released to the public?
IF SO - maybe begin with an inquiry there.

From The Peanut Gallery.

[jdstamper]

Pardon the obvious question: did you register the song with your PRO when it was released to the public?

Yes, it's registered. I don't know if the bogus sites are trying to pirate the song, but that's possible.

I think they're using the Animoto playlist (and probably other content) as click-bait to trick people to allow notifications, and then receive a lot of spam.

[cosmicdolphin]

I'm just wondering if anyone else has had experience with this?

Thanks, Jim

Yeah they are everywhere, I saw them years ago mostly Russian, Chinese, Indian etc. I think they scrape everything off various platforms like Spotify/Youtube etc and build a site around it.

Not sure what their end game is but back in the day I did a search and found songs by other people I knew on there too. Don't think there is much to be done.

[Casey H]

I found (for me) most of the pirating is done off Soundcloud. If you use SC, make sure at least that you disable downloading on all your tracks. This won't stop the pirating but downloads won't be readily available (by normal means) at the pirate sites.

A lot of people have switched to hosting their songs on Disco which keeps things totally private (no one can see your songs unless you share a link) and has other great features.

It's a mess out there. For the most part, I gave up worrying about it. However, if you have songs signed with an exclusive library, you may want to consider not keeping the songs on sites like SC, unless the library wants you to.

Best,
Casey

[jdstamper]

I'm just wondering if anyone else has had experience with this?

Thanks, Jim

Yeah they are everywhere, I saw them years ago mostly Russian, Chinese, Indian etc. I think they scrape everything off various platforms like Spotify/Youtube etc and build a site around it.

Not sure what their end game is but back in the day I did a search and found songs by other people I knew on there too. Don't think there is much to be done.

I think that's their game. Once people click to allow notifications, it opens the floodgate to all sorts of nasty spam & scams, which the spammers hope will lead to bigger rip-offs.

[jdstamper]

I found (for me) most of the pirating is done off Soundcloud. If you use SC, make sure at least that you disable downloading on all your tracks. This won't stop the pirating but downloads won't be readily available (by normal means) at the pirate sites.

A lot of people have switched to hosting their songs on Disco which keeps things totally private (no one can see your songs unless you share a link) and has other great features.

It's a mess out there. For the most part, I gave up worrying about it. However, if you have songs signed with an exclusive library, you may want to consider not keeping the songs on sites like SC, unless the library wants you to.

Best,
Casey

The song can be downloaded from the library. I've never used SC, too afraid of this kind of thing (and then it happens anyway). "It's a mess out there" ... That's for sure!

[cosmicdolphin]

I found (for me) most of the pirating is done off Soundcloud. If you use SC, make sure at least that you disable downloading on all your tracks. This won't stop the pirating but downloads won't be readily available (by normal means) at the pirate sites.

A lot of people have switched to hosting their songs on Disco which keeps things totally private (no one can see your songs unless you share a link) and has other great features.

It's a mess out there. For the most part, I gave up worrying about it. However, if you have songs signed with an exclusive library, you may want to consider not keeping the songs on sites like SC, unless the library wants you to.

Best,
Casey

The song can be downloaded from the library. I've never used SC, too afraid of this kind of thing (and then it happens anyway). "It's a mess out there" ... That's for sure!

I wouldn't worry about it, I just checked myself again and there are dodgy sites wit my music...probably happens to all of us

[jdstamper]

I wouldn't worry about it, I just checked myself again and there are dodgy sites wit my music...probably happens to all of us

Each site should be required to pay us a 1 cent royalty. That would put a stop to it.

[Casey H]

I wouldn't worry about it, I just checked myself again and there are dodgy sites wit my music...probably happens to all of us

Each site should be required to pay us a 1 cent royalty. That would put a stop to it.

Look at the upside... At least SOMEONE is listening to our music!!

Casey