The digital landscape continues to be fraught with cyber threats, as recent incidents highlight a surge in sophisticated hacking methods targeting influencers and content creators. In a concerning development, an Indian artist known for cover songs faced a copyright strike resulting in the suspension of his account by Meta. The artist subsequently received ransom demands via Telegram and WhatsApp, asking for payment in bitcoin.
In another alarming case, an Arab travel and food blogger was targeted for copyright infringement by a hacker using artificial intelligence (AI) to report over 20 videos containing brand logos inadvertently featured in his content. Despite intervention from a legal team, it took Meta three days to restore the blogger’s account, during which time the hacker also compromised his other social media accounts, resulting in a loss of nearly one million followers.
“Hackers are always innovating ways for extortion. In the last four years, they have become more tech-savvy and are now using AI and deepfake cloning to infringe on copyright materials and strike social media influencers and celebrities,” explained Rayad Kamal Ayub, Managing Director of Rayad Group.
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Ayub noted that using copyright takedowns as a method of extortion started in 2020 but has evolved with hackers employing more sophisticated tools like AI to identify potential victims. “In the case of the Indian artist, the hackers used an AI-backed platform to detect minor infringements and strategically issued the strike during a significant performance,” he added.
To combat these threats, popular Pakistani musical composer Mustafa Zahid, who has five million Spotify followers, advised his peers to always register their copyrights and report any infringement immediately. Ayub emphasized the importance of being vigilant and proactive in protecting one’s content from cyber attacks.
Legal expert Khalifa Abdulla Bin Huwaidan Al Ketbi urged companies, content creators, and influencers to seek legal advice and register their intellectual property. He also cautioned against engaging in illegal activities, such as paying ransoms, which are prohibited under UAE laws.
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Ayub suggested several measures to safeguard against copyright infringement, including:
- Using watermarking and metadata in images and videos.
- Educating followers about copyright and licensing agreements.
- Employing reverse image search methods to detect stolen content.
- Issuing DMCA takedown notices to platforms hosting infringed content.
He further recommended partnering with copyright protection allies and hiring legitimate copyright infringement detection companies to monitor and enforce copyright protections globally.
“Understanding and respecting copyright law is crucial in the digital age, where the lines of ownership often blur due to easy information sharing,” Ayub concluded.
For reporting copyright violations, content creators can contact Meta and YouTube through the following emails:
- Facebook: support@fb.com
- Instagram: support@instagram.com
- Google (YouTube): support-in@google.com, yt-partner-support@google.com
These incidents underscore the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures and legal protections to ensure the safety and integrity of digital content.
