It seems that DMCA Piracy Prevention has encountered difficulties in accurately distinguishing between different entities sharing the same name, leading to erroneous takedown requests. This confusion has prompted Automattic, the parent company of Tumblr, to take action by adding DMCA Piracy Prevention to its DMCA “Hall of Shame.”
The “La Sirena” referenced in ‘Star Trek: Picard’ and the Venezuelan actress known as “La Sirena (69)” are clearly distinct entities with unrelated content. However, DMCA Piracy Prevention’s inability to differentiate between them has resulted in inappropriate takedown requests targeting unrelated content.
By adding DMCA Piracy Prevention to its “Hall of Shame,” Automattic aims to raise awareness of the issue and hold the takedown company accountable for its indiscriminate actions. This action serves as a reminder of the importance of accurate and responsible enforcement of copyright laws to avoid unintended consequences and protect legitimate content creators.
It seems like the confusion arose because of the similarity in names. While “La Sirena” is commonly associated with the Kaplan F17 Speed Freighter from the Star Trek series “Picard,” it also coincides with the name of an adult entertainment actress, adding a layer of complexity.
The Tumblr blog “Mapping La Sirena” dedicated to the Star Trek starship is a testament to the passion and dedication of the fan community. Unfortunately, this dedication was disrupted when DMCA takedown requests targeted the blog, mistakenly associating it with copyright infringement related to the adult entertainment actress.
Automattic’s decision to add DMCA Piracy Prevention to its “Hall of Shame” reflects its commitment to protecting users from unwarranted takedown requests. By highlighting such cases, Automattic aims to raise awareness about the importance of accurate and responsible enforcement of copyright laws, ensuring that legitimate content creators are not unjustly targeted.
Indeed, “La Sirena” as a term isn’t limited to the Star Trek universe. Venezuelan adult actress Antonella Alonso chose “La Sirena 69” as her stage name, which adds another dimension to the term’s usage. This adds to the complexity and potential for confusion when it comes to identifying and addressing content related to “La Sirena” online.
In an ideal scenario, the distinct uses of “La Sirena” should remain separate and not intersect. However, Automattic, the parent company of Tumblr, asserts that the third-party takedown service ‘DMCA Piracy Prevention Inc’ struggles to differentiate between the two, resulting in its inclusion in Automattic’s ‘Hall of Shame’.
It’s concerning that DMCA Piracy Prevention Inc. has been sending numerous inaccurate takedown notices to Tumblr, targeting content that doesn’t infringe on any copyrights. Instead of accurately identifying the alleged infringements, they seem to be confusing the ‘La Sirena’ fandom blog with the adult performer ‘La Sirena 69’ based solely on the similarity of names.
For instance, in one instance, they targeted over 90 Tumblr posts related to “La Sirena,” erroneously flagging content from the fandom blog that didn’t violate any copyrights. This type of overbroad takedown campaign is an abuse of the DMCA and can harm innocent content creators like “Mapping La Sirena.”
Automattic’s Trust and Safety team emphasizes the importance of takedown companies ensuring the accuracy of their notices to prevent such abuse. They urge for better verification processes to avoid needlessly censoring innocent content and burdening creators.
Tumblr remains committed to championing the rights of its users and fostering creativity and self-expression on its platform. They continue to review DMCA notices diligently to safeguard against abuse and protect the diverse content shared by their community.
