Fake DMCA Claims - From YMYL to mainstream

[CasinoPlusBonus]

The issue has now become so big that I believe it is worth starting a dedicated thread. I hope this forum fits the topic.

Fake DCMA claims with the objective to block competitor's pages from the Google index started many years ago and many of us might have experienced it in one form or the other.
But has now become an insane machine, apparently totally automated with hundreds of fake profiles.

Beginning mainly in the igaming industry it has now enlarged to mainstream media and is already used in other industries. For example to silence journalists or content that is not in the interest of certain people.

We have conducted a study of 1k+ (and counting) fake copyright claims against one single website

What I want to point out from this study:

1. Pages are taken out of the Google index WITHOUT any search console notice.
2. Pages can be stuck in a stacking loop if multiple fake copyright claims are issued against the same page over time.
3. Lumen refuses to disclose the details of the fake claimants and allows only one query/day on its database.

Whoever wants to know more, ping me. Or find the full study here:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/algorithmic-hostage-taking-exposing-stacking-loophole-georg-heinrich-ha3ff/

[wonderpunter]

Yes.. pretty much any YMYL is domianted by one company with garbage 5 page ai sites on repurposed domains. and now pretty much anything which is beign sold is being dominated. google is now only good for info, non commecial terms. There have been quote a few posts by different people about this which inevitabley get hit by a DMCA takedown. google don't care about it too much, I doubt we will see any change anytime soon.

[Mark Donowan]

The issue is that the system has almost no downside for people abusing it. If a fake DMCA claim can temporarily remove a competitor’s page and there are no real consequences for the claimant, it will obviously be exploited. Google needs some kind of trust system for copyright complaints. A new account sending hundreds of claims should not be treated the same as a verified rights holder. Otherwise this just becomes another seo weapon instead of a tool to protect actual copyright owners.

[lolTRICKEDu]

Anyone have any experience protecting your content before this could happen? Had this happen on a site before where they hit us right before a massive event started. Took 3+ weeks before we got inserted back into Google, but by then the damage was done.

Wonder if using something like dmca.com would help anything?