Cyber Criminal

Ever wonder why videos get removed from YouTube? We took a large random sample of videos from our YouTube index, and gathered some interesting statistics on what was removed and why.

At Webmunism.com we index over a million videos from popular video sharing site YouTube. Because videos get removed, we also check periodically to see which ones are still there. Out of scientific curiosity, we took a random sample of over 20,000 videos known to have existed in our index (20,811 videos to be exact).

Of these, 89 percent of the videos were still up, with 11 percent having been removed for various reasons.

There are 3 main reasons YouTube give for the removal of videos. We checked the 2,134 removed videos to determine what percentage were removed for each reason, giving the results below.

48% - Removed by the user

This means the video was removed voluntarily by the person who uploaded it. There could be any number of reasons for doing this. Maybe they produced and uploaded a better version, or maybe they just got tired of it.

41% - Removed due to terms of use violation

This means the video was removed at the initiative of YouTube staff, because it breached the YouTube terms of use in some way. It might have contained obscene, pornographic or otherwise unacceptable content. I think - but I can’t be sure of this - that it might also include some copyright issues. In this case it’s likely that the video was removed before a formal takedown notice was issued.

11% - Removed at the request of the copyright owner

The dreaded DMCA takedown notice or its equivalent. This means that YouTube were served with a request to remove the video on the grounds of copyright, and complied with that request.

Clearly DMCA notices aren’t the most common reason videos are removed from YouTube, it’s more likely for a user to remove a video of their own accord. However, it’s still a statistic to give you pause, when you consider that (if our sample is representative) just over 1 in 10 videos that disappear from YouTube, do so as a result of copyright infringement notices.

If there’s enough interest, we may put up a page on Webmunism.com to track these statistics in (semi) real time.

Read more

Recognizing The Signs of Fraud

Financial scams have been on the rise around the world, and unfortunately, have been rising in sophistication. Fraud was introduced to the Internet most notably by the Nigeria 411 scams, i.e. advance fee fraud. That was then, this is now.

Scammers today are using worldwide access to the Internet to their advantage. Accounts such as webhosting a new website, bank and credit accounts can now be easily opened on the Internet, from any location. Having some false identification gives the scammer the upper hand here, as he has essentially created an alias with little, if any, traceable information.

The False Website Approach

Many financial scams are taking the form of the classic advance fee fraud, but with a higher level of sophistication and tactics. Websites are often created with templates or a design is stolen from another reputable and legal investment company. Once the site is complete, the criminal has created what appears to be a legitimate website and company. The headquarters for these fictitious firms are often located in the United States, so the website claims. These sites are mearly a tool for fraud.

How to distinguish a real investment website from a fraudulent one? Search Google and Yahoo for the company to determine if there are other sites referencing the firm. Check the site itself to see if the firm has contact information. A website without an address or phone number is a red flag for potential fraud or scam. Search phone directories for the firm’s telephone number. Lastly, check with the SEC’s website for signs on how to recognize these investment scams, and to verify registration of the firm.

Knowing the Signs of Fraud

Although the level of sophistication in these scams continues to rise, an educated consumer can know the difference. Scammers today always contact their victims with an offer - the potential victim has been selected. The firm representative may speak perfect English, and even understand investments and asset management. He may even request you submit an IRS form and other documents. Bottom line, this person will request personal data and/or payment promptly and without ever meeting you. Be skeptical and ask for the firms’ references and SEC filing.

Getting Verification

If you’ve searched the Internet for references, checked local phone listings, maybe even contacted the SEC for verification, and spoke with company representatives and claimed references - and you’re still not sure? Contact a professional investigation company, like Wymoo International or Philippine PI for help. Get the facts on who your dealing with - then decide.

All the Best,

S. Birch

Read more