My patent pending Pirate Trap. Feel free to copy!

[Steve Peters Benn]

Hiya all!

I just thought I would let you know something I have been doing to identify pirates that might be useful to some of you out there.

Basically, I got sick of people hotlinking and sharing some of my video products. The drain on bandwidth made it pretty noticeable, and the usual suspects were advertising my links.

So, my fault, I tidied things up and made sure hotlinking wasn't going to work. Thing was people could still share my videos by downloading them. Now I don't believe it is possible, or even prudent to spend all ones time on stamping out piracy - it's a never ending battle, you can't win, but you need to still fight it etc.

Here was my simple solution:

Generate 8 different watermarked versions of each video (I'm not going to explain how they are watermarked - I'm sure you can think of your own ways).

When a new customer signs up, I get a random number generated, that indicates which of the watermarked videos appear for them. So random number 1 = watermark 1 of video 1. Number 2 would be watermark 2 of video 1.

This random number is stored along with Paypal information in the user account. Should said person share their videos, it is pretty easy for me to see which of my customers it was.

Is it the easiest thing to implement, no. Does it require PHP knowledge and extra storage - yes.

It takes me about a day per product to do, it doesn't stop piracy but it means I get to track any major pirates. I wouldn't spend much more time on this issue or obsess over it, but I thought it might be useful to share with all of you here!

[War_Guy]

Sorry, I don't get it. do you only sell 8 copies? Or do you make more when the 8 run out?

Thanks!

[Steve Peters Benn]

I must have explained badly. Sorry.

Each video in the course has 8 variations. Each customer gets a fixed set of variations:

EG

Video 1 - watermark 8
Video 2 - watermark 2
Video 3 - Watermark 4

It takes me one day to run off the different versions, but after that, for a three video product, I have a potential 512 combinations to track piracy with.

8 * 8 * 8 = 512.

[Scott Ames]

Brilliant. The only down side I can see is that it's not automated in the download or is it? Oh... wait....with the php it must be. Ok I'm thick today..

This is good stuff, just getting my head around it. Just dealing with video 1, for my small brain. There are 8 versions. The php script will select one of the download links for that customer. 1 thru 8.. IE: http://www.myvidsandstuff/video1-7.zip and 7 is stored in the PayPal . Something like that.

You are much smarter than I. I hope I came close to the idea.

[Steve Peters Benn]

Hiya Scott,

The php script generates a number for each video and stores it against the paypal. You got the idea in one. It was a real pain to develop - its not worth it for smaller products, and out of IM I have only done if for three big niche info products.

I understand and accept piracy - I'm never going to stop it, but I don't want to get walked over either...

[Paul Hancox]

Hi Steve

Great strategy. Yes, with a little PHP you can give an almost unique combination of videos to each customer, and find out which one of them has been sharing your videos.

I was thinking of doing something like this for ebooks... embedding their email address into the ebook, so it becomes obvious who has been doing the sharing

[Steve Peters Benn]

Hiya Paul,

We already do that. We were going to release the system to the public but never got round to it. We don't use email addresses though, although that is a fine idea!

[MisterMunch]

For those who do not get the method. Each video is waterbarked with a number between 1 and 8. He has eight videos so it is eight digits. One for each video.

Video1 - 7
Video2 - 5
Video3 - 3
video4 - 3
Video5 - 1
Video6 - 2
Video7 - 8
Video8 - 8

So this particular customers personal number is 75331288

You can have a lot of custumers before you get short of unique numbers.

[Steve Peters Benn]

Heya Mistermunch,

You got it, although the numbers aren't directly watermarked into the videos - rather I have a different edit (in a way) for each number.

Thanks for clearing up my muddy explanation though!

[Brad Gosse]

I really like this concept, it requires some work but I would jump through these hoops to catch and take legal action against the person sharing my files.

My bet is it's always a refunder.

[seasoned]

I hate to say it, but this isn't really patentable. People HAVE used watermarks for LOTS of things to do just this. I THINK this might be one of the few times that a SET was scrambled like this, but THAT is probably because you didn't have the method to automate it.

BTW NICE idea, but bittorrent and various sharing schemes will scramble things, and you may accuse the WRONG people!

Steve

[Amir.S]

Its a great idea, but still how can you stop them? The only thing I can think of is that you block them from buying any more products from you.

[Brad Gosse]

I wish we could just auto add an annotation to the files we deliver that have the receipt # attached.

[Steve Peters Benn]

Hi seasoned, I do have the method to automate it but I'm not sure it is worth the effort. I can track the individual files as well, but again, it is worth more than the effort.

And no, I don't want to patent it - that was a joke.

Brad. I will PM you.