AfterDawn: News

Teen fools YouTube into removing videos

A 15 year old boy in Australia caused the removal of hundreds of video clips from Google Inc.'s YouTube service by pretending to be an employee of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). He sent a signed letter to YouTube falsely claiming he represented ABC, and asked the site to remove clips of a popular local comedy series that were uploaded by users of the site.

Shortly after, lawyers for ABC contacted the boy and he apologized for his actions. "Everyone does dumb stuff when they are 15," the head of ABC television comedy, Courtney Gibson, told ABC Radio. "We really appreciate that he's apologized and we'll be following up with him next week." She said it wasn't clear why the teenager decided to take the action.



YouTube does not block video content subject to copyright from being uploaded to the site, but will remove it once requested by the copyright holder. Viacom Inc. has sued Google Inc. and YouTube for more than $1 billion, accusing it of copyright infringement for allowing users to upload its video content.

Source:
Yahoo

Written by: James Delahunty @ 15 Apr 2007 19:17

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• 16 comments

• XdjxedxdX

  heh stupid little shit

  15.4.2007 20:13 #1

• ripxrush

  that is hella funny i know a LOT of people are dumb about phishing attempts but this is almost the same he faked out GOOGLE saying he was someone he wasn't! Wounder what it would take to get some C.C. info from GOOGLE??? idiots! there own fault, now everyone knows that they remove stuff without checking any info.

  15.4.2007 20:22 #2

• ZippyDSM

  all you have to do is spam reports and they will kill it out of it just being reported, even youtube is not big enough to actually check every video reported.

  15.4.2007 23:09 #3

• gozilla

  this kid is trying to get himself on the Chaser isn't he?

  15.4.2007 23:43 #4

• Sythun

  lol another phishing attempt but this guy is smart, able to trick google......

  15.4.2007 23:45 #5

• scorpNZ

  Sounds like he's a prospect for ABC [prospect = basicly someone who is attempting to be a member of a gang but before they are accepted have to do dirty work], next stop prospect for the RIAA..lol..

  16.4.2007 01:07 #6

• natony

  Originally posted by gozilla:this kid is trying to get himself on the Chaser isn't he?Haha, yeah probably... explains why I haven't been able to watch any of my favourite shows on YouTube lately. I didn't think the ABC would give a damn about copyright.

  16.4.2007 13:57 #7

• club42

  Quote:Shortly after, lawyers for ABC contacted the boy and he apologized for his actions. Why? Thats googles own stupid fault for believing him. Quote:next stop prospect for the RIAA..lol.. very true.

  16.4.2007 17:35 #8

• borhan9

  This guy must have been really bored or was put up for a dare. At least he said sorry and has not had anything else added to his punishment.

  16.4.2007 20:52 #9

• Oopsla

  Quote:Shortly after, lawyers for ABC contacted the boy and he apologized for his actions.Quote:Why? Thats googles own stupid fault for believing him.Unlawful impersonation. Maybe? If me and my buddies dressed up as an FBI agents and had fake seizure papers and confiscated your computer for piracy. It would be your dumb luck to believe us but we'd have to make right with the authorities.
  
  Anytime you present yourself as someone else you risk fraud charges. ABC thought it best to play it off and look like a good guy rather then pressing charges and giving the kid a record.

  19.4.2007 06:31 #10

• eandtc

  Quote:Unlawful impersonation. Maybe? If me and my buddies dressed up as an FBI agents and had fake seizure papers and confiscated your computer for piracy.While I understand the point you are trying to make, your example is a touch much. You are talking about impersonating an officer of the law, trespassing, theft, invasion of privacy, etc., etc. That's nowhere near on the same level as sending a letter to Youtube pretending to be an ABC executive or lawyer.

  19.4.2007 07:53 #11

• Steve83

  Whose law did he break? Does Australia have a law against its citizens mailing out funny letters, or does the US have laws against Australians? I get mail all the time that lies to me - who do I call to get the Australian or US government to track them down?

  19.4.2007 08:02 #12

• helldiver

  With the RIAA trend I though the ABC lawyer wanted to give him a medal!
  I mean he manage with one letter to stop copyright infringement.
  Or perhaps the lawyer were angry that he stole their fees...
  
  I find it a good hoax. And hoax are hoax not war declaration or techno-religious statement.
  
  I prefer a 15 year old doing that than drugs or raping around and stabbing little kids.
  
  Just my 5 cents
  
  Best regards
  
  Helldiver

  19.4.2007 10:27 #13

• qu1nt3n

  Originally posted by Steve83:Whose law did he break? Does Australia have a law against its citizens mailing out funny letters, or does the US have laws against Australians? I get mail all the time that lies to me - who do I call to get the Australian or US government to track them down?Good point!

  20.4.2007 01:56 #14

• eandtc

  Let's not forget that only now are laws being passed to prevent pretexting - which is someone else impersonating you to get personal information from someone else.
  
  [EDIT] And, I might add, the RIAA and MPAA want to be excluded from these laws, so they can still be allowed to pretext.

  20.4.2007 08:09 #15

• rav0

  Originally posted by gozilla:this kid is trying to get himself on The Chaser isn't he?el-oh-el. i loled

  29.6.2007 23:51 #16