A Warning To Artists On Tumblr (your Comics Are Being Monetized)

A Warning to Artists on Tumblr (your comics are being monetized)

UPDATE: Please do not tag any more artists. Many of them already know and don’t want any part in this.

tl;dr Summary: Kyotosomo is making money from your comics on Youtube. 

Here’s a list of his comic dubs and their corresponding Tumblr accounts in alphabetical order: https://goo.gl/EqFK56

Quick update: I’ve been called out by Kyotosomo. Yay. I’ll link a follow-up response post here and in the comments after I publish it: <Where’s the link?!?> Here you go!  (https://pscoldfire.tumblr.com/post/172471041889/kyotosomo-calls-out-pscoldfire-for-being-a-lousy) Update: I’ve been asked a few times why I did it. I will explain my actions in another follow-up post, and I’ll put the link here once I’m done (Yes, I can hear you groaning across the monitor. Fine I get it, but I’m writing it anyway!).

Quick update: This is not the first time there’s been drama with Kyotosomo and stolen content (on Youtube, no less). Apparently he got his first 13,000 subscribers by uploading stolen content.

For anyone who believes he deserves a third chance, read these links from 2 years ago:

https://imgur.com/WI75tte

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/36980n/someone_has_stolen_my_work_and_reuploaded_it_onto/cwnba09/

https://archive.is/fwHiD

The Long Version:

I’m sorry this is a VERY long post, but if you have a few minutes, please stay for now. I feel you all should know this.

Most of you gave permission to Kyotosomo (Pierce Riola) to dub your comics. What he did not tell you is that he is monetizing them. And from what I understand after talking with some of you, none of you gave any permission to make money on your art, and he has not shared any of that profit with you or anyone else.

How do you know it is monetized?

If you watch without AdBlock, here’s how you know:

1. Yellow line in video player (usually on the left)

2. Advertisement plays before/during video

(Note – most monetized Youtube channels make ~$1 per 1000 views. The actual amount can be more, depending on a variety of factors) EDIT: According to Kyotosomo’s Tumblr response, his rate is closer to $1 per 4000 views. I see no reason to disbelieve him.

If I don’t want my comics monetized, what can we do?

If you have 10 minutes to spare, you can do at least one of these right now:

1. Make a Youtube account. Report his Youtube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/user/kyotosomo/about

2. Report copyright infringement on each of his videos containing your artwork. If you need help finding your comic, here’s the list again: https://goo.gl/EqFK56

(This comic from @ameri-lie was uploaded without permission. More on that later)

After you do this, he might ask you to remove the copyright strike and let him keep the videos up or remove it on his own (he won’t). 

He will probably make excuses like:

“I’m doing this purely for fun”

Then why is he making money from it? Quite a lot too, if these posts are anything to go by:

UPDATE: After stating in his response post that he doesn’t even make that much money, he is now trying to sue me for libel, claiming “tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.” (https://redd.it/895f6m) (In case he deletes it - https://archive.is/uYvK3)

Or he might say:

“I’m doing this for charity”

Except he lied about this in the past. For example:

(sorry about the image quality)

EDIT: I was wrong about the lack of donation. A mere two days after that last email, he donated $688 (of his hard-earned $11,000 in 2017) to AMF (https://imgur.com/rh0aPzn). So why the discrepancy between these two emails?

EDIT: Here is the full story: http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sqg737 Long story short, he was using AMF’s logo to solicit Patreon donations despite not giving anything to the charity beforehand.

He was confronted about this on April 14, 2017 and two days later, he finally made a donation. He has not donated anything since then.

Or he’ll say:

“I tried to contact you but I couldn’t”

Personally, I’ve had no trouble with you all so far. Here’s how to contact people on Tumblr: (image courtesy of skitschell)

3.  Just send him a message, and he’ll probably remove the monetization. Just know that this will not stop him from monetizing other people’s content, or re-monetizing your comics once you’ve stopped paying attention.

4. (optional) Let your friends know. You are welcome to share, re-post or re-blog this post if you’d like.

If you’ve read the whole post, thank you very much! If it helps at least one person, then the writing of this post was well worth it.

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, etc., feel free to leave a reply. 

p.s. – How silly of me to post this on April Fool’s Day! Unfortunately, I can assure you this is not a joke.

p.p.s. – Here is a copy of a message he sent to @ameri-lie, who reported the above video featuring her comic (he did not ask for permission before uploading).

She dropped the strike in December 2017 after he promised to remove the video (as I’m writing this, the video is still up, and of course, still monetized). EDIT: Not anymore

Coincidentally, @skitschell​ received the exact same message after reporting her video last week.

Edit: Sorry, skitschell just gave me a correction. This message is from December 2017, the first time she reported her video. Like ameri-lie, she dropped the strike after Kyotosomo promised to remove the video.

As you can see, she’s reported the video again after finding it was still up.

p.p.p.s. – Technically your work is automatically copyrighted the moment you create it. However, if you truly need to legally protect your work (and be eligible for statutory damages or attorneys fees), you can pre-register your work here: 

https://copyright.gov/registration/

p.p.p.s. – UPDATE: A few hours before I wrote this post, Kyotosomo heard about what I was doing and sent me a threat. For privacy concerns, I won’t share the exact contents (until I find it necessary). Just letting you all know who you’re dealing with. EDIT: Never mind, he shared it on his twitter:  https://twitter.com/Kyotosomo/status/978794804795486208

p.p.p.p.s – UPDATE: (this Tweet is now deleted) https://twitter.com/Kyotosomo/status/979983004226306048?s=19 I think he’s talking about me on Twitter. Thank you for sharing, @michietkh!

p.p.p.p.p.s. – Comment from his “apology” video (now deleted)

List of Artists (by account name)

#

@29sjamjam @8k0

A

@a-cat-and-a-world @aclearts @aehruh @aeruos  @airbeanies @akih0307 @akimbod  @alazic02  @allisucks @ameri-lie @anadapta @anadia-chan @anarah @ann13doodles @annabubs @a-parade  @arashi-chan12 @ariadusts @arietrash @ask-defender-of-elly @askkury @ask-saeran-and-saeyoung @asktheinkdemon

B

@badtimepal @bastionwithcrayons @beenicornworld @bishiegiraffe @bitchjointherfa @blimpcat-art @blinkpen @blossyay @blueplusiron @breakfastbooty @brynnthebookworm @bunelody

C

@cakeyquake @candyaddict19 @captainclovey @catch-the-ghosts-art @charamells @cheritzteam @chikappi @chromelxd @cidar-sugar @cinnae @citree @complexwish @cordmonochrome @cosmic-artsu @creepyknees @crispylewis @critai @cynnicynni @cynphonium

D

@dahianartist @danidery @daodavi @darcheat-blog @darkgreyclouds @daysein @deardiv @deizu-chan @devillefort-master @diadoescomics @digitalscratch-arting @doodleroos @doublealbarn @dragonpigeons @drawverylittle @dreemurr-reborn

E

@eirlysie @eiycaptain @elithequeenbee @elleellenic @ellynoise @emeraldknight47 @emsartwork @eren-neko @ezkai

F

@fishupie @flik98 @flitzie-chan @flumpcesca @forlackofabettercomic @frosty-bean @fullertoons

G

@galacticgoldfishart @galaxyopalite @gauntdusk @gebdraws @genobeva-k

H

@h0llyw0lly @hachiimi @hakamiiart @hanatsu04 @hatsumidori @heart-select @heeeky @hey–its–jess @hiissae @hiniparlousblog @holloweentwinkie @humerussans @hyolks

I

@idolaelyartistfan @imo-rlc @innerglittercherryblossom @inqua @iskisaggie

J

@jelly-june @jentuu @jintii @joker-ace @jove-bluh @juuddeart

K

@kandismon @kan-toku @karawek @kcv-art @keii @kerolunaticat @kerorine @kimsch @kkumri @kpfightmaster @ksmile1313 @kyuzukipoi @kziir

L

@lavibaka @leecheedoodles @leiram-art @leohzy @lha-san @limechii @littlebong2309 @littleivor @live4love136 @lonelypotatoart @loverofpiggies @lucenoche @lunarreverb

M

@madamelenny @madamsugarskull @mamanele @marbletart @marsy3 @michiko-ouji @mi-estreano @mika7616 @mikoriin @milkypasta @minafi @mirth3moo @monstroustea @mooneie @msleilei @myetie @msivoney

N

@naaami @nami7333 @natural0g @nia-cube @nialeigh-arts @nicoleartist @nikkst3rz @niklisson @ningyosan @nisaeiam @njikeartist2 @noeybodys @nqdel

O

@obsessivealice

P

@pandums @pastecola @patronpepper @pierrotsdrawer @pig-demon @pinkalala-art @pinqo @pixelameart @pocketsizedproductions @poisoned-marshmallows @polkadotpuzzles @ponyo-loves-sosuke @poorly-drawn-mysme @pozolegirl @priscilatp @psonoradelic @purincipia

R

@raysdrawlings @rc-04 @redberryart @reipx @reiyacchi @relatable-messenger @renrink @roseyblogstuff @rummycoffee @runa-storm

S

@saeranlover @sakura-rose12 @sander-sonia @s-enja @senkiiri @sharktunarts @shiawasejanaiyo @shizzome @shmu-h @shortnime @shouty-y @sketchyy-pencil @skitschell @sl4ughtermelon @smoochesforseven @snozzbearart @sourires-sourires @spd64 @star-powder @stellalights @sugakei @sugarberryart

T

@taochansan @teaicaria @tendertofu @teo-chanart-blog @the-chois-is-yours @thecoffeelovingcat @thedailymushroom @the-everlasting-ash @theinsanefruitloop-chan @thepinknekos @therandomninjakitty @thesmoking-devil @titonkaart @toasterstrude1 @triscuit-cafe @tryingforchances @tsuki-matsu

V

@velocesmells

W

@waffle-chi @waraable @wendinella @whitefire321 @whosjck @wicked-jewels @windaura

X

@xero-j @xiao-jing @xjayju

Y

@yinx-ii @yoosungseven @yue-tsubaki @yukina-chi @yuusart

Z

@zarla-s @zeibeebee @zenosu @zhepf-xiv @zoecam37 @zombie-frisk