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How to deal with those mod mirroring sites?

Posted: 10 Jun 2018 21:26
by Kronzky
I've just released my first map, and, even though I explicitly asked on my homepage not to mirror my content, it already shows up on all kinds of fishy mod hosting sites.

I noticed though, that Promods does not have that problem, and can keep their file hosting under control.
How do you do it? Contact the mod hosting site directly? (I tried that, and got no response.)
File DMCA claims with file hosters?
Or what other options do I have?

Thanks for any advice!

Re: How to deal with those mod mirroring sites?

Posted: 12 Jun 2018 17:36
by Abdurrezzak3500
You can't with easy way. If they use same download link than its pretty much ok. But if they are copying into other hosting services then don't be kind to them. Show some proof and scare their eye. Also if you share/save your orginial link with people then people will always download from there. You can use SCSForums for relasing your mod. People who respect to Mod Creators will always use trusted websites(Unlike Modland, Ets2Mods.com etc.)

Re: How to deal with those mod mirroring sites?

Posted: 12 Jun 2018 18:59
by brainiac
From my experience:
Advertise your mod only on ETS2.lt. That site is the most visited. Don't care about other site.
But if you find reupload on sharemods or that site, report with proof. They will remove.

Re: How to deal with those mod mirroring sites?

Posted: 13 Jun 2018 13:18
by Abdurrezzak3500
Posting in SCSForums also safe. Ets2.lt is safe but there is also tons of stolen mods. SCSForums are safe. SCS Moderators keeping the mods there. But it is REALLY hard to keep them safe. There will be somebody who will copy. Even if you look on TorrentPages you can see ProMods torrent links. If you are curious you can check torrentz.eu

Re: How to deal with those mod mirroring sites?

Posted: 13 Jun 2018 14:03
by Kronzky
But if you find reupload on sharemods or that site, report with proof. They will remove.
Report with whom? The file hosting sites? So, basically send'em a DMCA notice?
Posting in SCSForums also safe.
Well, I posted the map on the SCS forum (and only there), but one day later it showed up on all kinds of fishy sites, that don't respond to emails, or don't even have contact information listed.
So, those guys are obviously trawling the forum announcements, looking for stuff to steal.
But I don't see Promods hosted anywhere on these sites (even though they would probably be very interested to do so), so the Promods team must've figured out how to keep those parasites under control somehow (and I'm wondering how...)

Re: How to deal with those mod mirroring sites?

Posted: 13 Jun 2018 16:47
by Abdurrezzak3500
ProMods team is using REALLY strict rules. They protect their content with laws&copyrights. So copying ProMods content can get you in trouble. If you are not working "professionally" you don't need to get a lawyer to protect or let people sign your content to use (Terms of Services). Let them share it but if they aren't changing the link then its ok.

BTW what is your mod? Can you give name/link for it? I'm just curious :lol:

Re: How to deal with those mod mirroring sites?

Posted: 13 Jun 2018 18:04
by Kronzky
It's a test track, to check vehicle performance, and for tweaking physics parameters:
http://www.kronzky.info/ets2/testtrack/

I don't mind people sharing the map (after all, that's why I made it), but those sites are NOT linking to the original location. They upload it to their own (for-profit, and ad-cluttered) file host, and this way you end up with all kinds of versions floating around online — most of which are not up-to-date. And that's the part I have a problem with...

Re: How to deal with those mod mirroring sites?

Posted: 13 Jun 2018 20:49
by brainiac
Kronzky wrote:
13 Jun 2018 14:03
Report with whom? The file hosting sites? So, basically send'em a DMCA notice?
On button report. Proof is simple: just write link of topic on SCS forum.

I strongly suggest to advertise only on ETS2.lt and forums because, obviously, players noticed that there is much more original links and much less stolen mods than other mod sites, so you will get the highest number of downloads from that site. From own experience.
I am reporting every stolen ETS2 map mod, so that part of site is very safe.

Re: How to deal with those mod mirroring sites?

Posted: 14 Jun 2018 05:21
by ScuL
In the beginning when I first started publishing ProMods I had to be very aggressive towards mod-rehosters. It took up to 50 reports with the first release to somewhat control it, but it was only after we gained a name for ourselves that mod-rehosting sites started respecting us. I've sent out quite a few DMCA takedowns

Re: How to deal with those mod mirroring sites?

Posted: 14 Jun 2018 14:16
by Kronzky
Looks like they're getting better, actually.
I've sent notices to 6 sites (and their file hosters), and some were taken down within hours, others within days.
So, I guess it's manageable by now.
(Of course, their interest in hosting my puny map is not quite the same as hosting ProMods. But, it's still good to know that even small modders can keep their IP under control.)