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I was blackmailed – any YouTuber could be next (2020)

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Re: I was blackmailed – any YouTuber could be next (2020)

#131

Post by kadoban »

jazzythom wrote: post #66
ozten wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe these blog posts are the real support queue. Queue is prioritized by creativity, publicity, and connections to employees. It feels like the official support queue points to /dev/null with a couple chat bots for plausible deniability.

It feels like that? How many support requests does Google have right now do you think? They're cutting

Near zero. How do you even submit one anybody looks at? If you're a big youtuber you have contacts that will help you, otherwise you're pretty much screwed.

Re: I was blackmailed – any YouTuber could be next (2020)

#132

Post by chrischen »

duxup wrote: post #111
lisper wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re missing the point. You don’t file the report in order to get the FBI to investigate. That obviously won’t happen. You file in order to establish a record of an allegation of a crime.

Then what? You have “a record”. What does that get you?

$50 x 1,000,000 people is $50,000,000.

Just because the single incident is only $50 doesn’t mean the criminal or class of criminals are a trivial problem.

Re: I was blackmailed – any YouTuber could be next (2020)

#134

Post by worthless-trash »

SV_BubbleTime wrote: post #119
dariusj18 wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In legal cases, having contemporaneous supporting evidence can be important.

Ok, but what is the next step? Take this guy’s Bitcoin wallet address to court?

He connected to discord, discord can provide ip address, ip address can translate to subscriber or system owner.

Re: I was blackmailed – any YouTuber could be next (2020)

#135

Post by worthless-trash »

wnevets wrote: post #75
pooper wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is to stop them once they get paid? Why wouldn't they just keep asking every month?

The same thing that stops every other form of blackmail, their word. If someone is willing to blackmail you, their word is probably not worth much.

yet ransomware exists and is profitable.

Re: I was blackmailed – any YouTuber could be next (2020)

#136

Post by croes »

pessimizer wrote: post #91
croes wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The information that is divulged on is the "knowledge" about the circumvention of technical measures. "Extortion is a form of theft that occurs when an offender obtains money, property, or services from another person through coercion. A form of extortion could include the threat of physical injury, destruction of property, or improper government action." "Blackmail, in contrast to extortion, is when the offender thr…

succinct: Extortion is when someone threatens to hurt you by doing something like getting your account banned. Blackmail is when someone threatens to tell your secret. Blackmail is a specific type of extortion.

Blackmail is about publishing harmful information, this information doesn't have to true.

If I threaten to tell your partner that you are cheating even if you don't, that is blackmail.

If I threaten to tell your google that you are circumventing technological measures even if you don't, that is blackmail.

Neither is physical injury, destruction of property, or an improper government action.

Re: I was blackmailed – any YouTuber could be next (2020)

#137

Post by throwaway2037 »

jelled wrote: post #120
hyperpape wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This sounds interesting, but are you aware of anyone who has used this strategy with a major social network/content distribution platform and had success? Reading, I wonder if it's the sort of thing where Google’s lawyers could brush you off because companies that large are effectively immune.

Large companies definitely aren't immune from litigation over stuff like this. I sent Google a demand letter for breach of contract for wrongfully terminating my Adsense account. In the letter I gave them 30 days to restore my account and pay the money they had wrongfully withheld. On the 30th day the account was restored and the money was paid. Though I wrote the letter myself, I'd imagine anyone similarly situated…

Wow, great story. Please write a blog post about this and share on HN. It would be great to have template letters. Then people can fill, print, and post!

Re: I was blackmailed – any YouTuber could be next (2020)

#138

Post by Animats »

worthless-trash wrote: post #134
SV_BubbleTime wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ok, but what is the next step? Take this guy’s Bitcoin wallet address to court?

He connected to discord, discord can provide ip address, ip address can translate to subscriber or system owner.

He got Google to do a takedown. Which means Google has information about him. Which is the sort of info you request and get in pre-trial discovery when you're suing an unknown, but not unknowable, party.

Google will probably settle out of court. Most commercial litigation never reaches trial. The reason you do this sort of thing is that it forces Google to send somebody competent to talk to your lawyer.

Re: I was blackmailed – any YouTuber could be next (2020)

#139

Post by Thorrez »

sbassi wrote: post #101
Animats wrote: post #79

First step, if you get a demand like that, file a police report. Extortion, and attempted extortion, are crimes. You can also file with the FBI online, which will at least result in your complaint being accumulated with other similar complaints. Not much may happen, but now it's on record. Now you have paperwork establishing a crime. If you're willing to spend legal fees, talk to a lawyer. You can potentially sue the…

I think the FBI has a threshold amount to get involved. It wont move a finger for $50.

The blackmailer might only demand $50, but might cause much more in damages.

Re: I was blackmailed – any YouTuber could be next (2020)

#140

Post by safety1st »

duxup wrote: post #117
marcosdumay wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then you go after Google as a coactor on the crime. As the OP's next paragraph says.

You sue google? This plan actually works?

Credible legal threats are arguably the MOST effective way to get a big corporation to do what you want, the main disadvantage being that the corporation will be disinclined towards doing business with you afterwards since they can no longer farm you passively for revenue. (If there is a long term relationship based on trust this will usually kill it forever.)

There are many steps on the path to filing a lawsuit and actually going to court. For Google these steps are all fantastically expensive.

So if a credible threat exists, what usually happens is the case gets escalated to someone in the middle of the chain of command who has broad authority and a mandate to settle the matter as quickly and inexpensively as possible. If that includes giving you whatever you want, so be it.

They wouldn't have gotten to Google size if they were willing to die on every hill that came along.

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