So you’re looking around Amazon for more products to review for the Amazon Influencer Program, and you notice that someone has taken one of your videos, copied it, and re-posted it as their own. What should you do?
In this article, I’ll walk you through the easy process and a few other things to remember when encountering this.
Should You File A Complaint?
If It’s Another Influencer
If another Amazon Influencer has copied your video, there really isn’t any reason they should have or would have done that. It’s pretty much a theft of your video. In this case, I would file a copyright infringement notice.
Influencers know the rules, and there isn’t any viable reason to take another influencer video.
If It’s A Brand
If a brand has taken your video without your knowledge, this is pretty much theft.
Now, brands do not necessarily understand the rules of the Amazon Influencer Program and might copy your video and upload it as their own, thinking there is no harm, but they are incorrect. When this happens, your video is much less likely to be viewed, and you won’t make money.
The only way it is acceptable for a brand to use your video is if you had a prior agreement for them to do so. Typically, in these cases, they will request that you upload the original video. So, if they copied it without your knowledge, it’s probably theft.
How to File A Complaint on Amazon
When you are watching a video for a brand or another Influencer, you will see “Report” in the top right of the video, as shown below:
After you click that, a modal appears that looks like the following:
Here, you will click on Copyright Infringement. A new tab will open with a form to complete and send to Amazon. The form is easy to fill out and has instructions on where to send the complaint.
You can also get to the form by clicking HERE.
What Happens After Filing
After you send the email to Amazon, it typically takes 2-3 working days for them to reply. If they found copyright infringement based on the details of your report, they will mention that they will be removing the copied video. It will look like this:
An Alternative to Filing A Report
If you have worked with an agent of a brand, you might want to contact that agent before filing your complaint. I have found that sometimes, the agent will pull down the copied video without needing a copyright report. This is simply a courtesy to the agent you have partnered with.
However, if you don’t want to waste time getting the video pulled, filing the report is a surefire way to get the job done.
Let’s Wrap It Up
It’s inevitable someone will take your videos. Try to set aside some time each month to review the products in your storefront, click the linked items, and check the videos on the page. Keep track of which items you have filed reports on, and follow up later to make sure the video was pulled down. If it wasn’t, refile the report.
