Freesound Forums

hey so i've been using fs for a while now to share my random sounds n all that, and the thing that i really like about this website is that anyone could download anything on here for free as long as they stand by the license that was chosen for the sound they uploaded, right?

well basically i found some of my sounds being posted on this other sound website (https://www.101soundboards.com/search/mianlind) and all of my sounds are usually under the 4.0 Attribution license right?

that website did credit me on there, *however* anyone who does download my sounds via that website then they'd probably not credit me due to the lack of info they have on how i want to be credited,,, since that website doesn't show anything or any info other than my sound, my name, and the title, that's all

i dont know what to do if im being honest, can someone help

Thanks for sharing, I agree that redistribution of CC BY 4.0 content demands more thorough attribution.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#ref-appropriate-credit :

appropriate credit — If supplied, you must provide the name of the creator and attribution parties, a copyright notice, a license notice, a disclaimer notice, and a link to the material. CC licenses prior to Version 4.0 also require you to provide the title of the material if supplied, and may have other slight differences.

Turns out Creative Commons has some suggestions on how to proceed: https://creativecommons.org/misuse-of-works/

My thinking (without having read the above article yet) would be: do I want my content plain removed from that site (A) or I have a clear idea what the site needs to change so that it is OK for them to redistribute my sounds (B).

I would use the contact form or email address found at https://www.101soundboards.com/pages/about#disclaimer to briefly state that the license of the content is not being adhered to and:

A) ask all my content (provide full list of links) is removed by some date (2 weeks I guess) and not added any more unless the license (with link to full license text) is adhered to (the first they would probably agree on and the latter they would probably not be able guarantee, claiming no control over user contributed content—I'm assuming how their site works).

B) provide a list of changes enforceable by CC BY 4.0, for me to be OK with their distribution and suggest those changes by some date or ask for removal of content otherwise.

If they don't react [by whatever deadline or refuse to cooperate], I would fill a DMCA takedown notice. According to whois (for example found on https://lookup.icann.org/en/lookup ), namecheap might be the host. [Their requirements are stated at https://www.namecheap.com/support/knowledgebase/article.aspx/9198/5/dmca-takedown-request-requirements/ ]

I am not a lawyer, especially about the last part with DMCA takedown I'm not sure what will happen if namecheap states that they are only the domain registrar but not the host. This Q&A sounds somewhat promising though: https://superuser.com/a/1533683/38668

Just searched that website for my username.
There's some sounds of mine too, though I have no right to complain as my uploads are public domain.
And to be fair, that website does @Sadiquecat for my sounds. That's adequate attribution to me.

As a general comment, I will say I do not require attribution especially when they're *used* for projects, although it's still greatly appreciated!
When it comes to sharing the raw material in libraries, I think one really ought to attribute the creator even if uploaded in public domain (not enforceable, but correct to do so), and preferably the source library too.

Aka, feel free to make a collection, re-upload on your website, whatever. Just in those cases please mention "Sound by Sadiquecat on Freesound.org"

That website there does credit me (@Sadiquecat), it doesn't re-direct to the source which is a pity, but all in all fair game in my case.

That was my CC0 POV rant.
As far as CC-BY 4.0, they do not give appropriate credit.
Detailed attribution comparison chart
https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/License_Versions#Detailed_attribution_comparison_chart

Creator if supplied and attribution parties if designated in reasonable manner. Copyright notice if supplied. To the extent practicable, URI or link to the material if supplied. (Here on a website, it's very practicable imo)
Indicate if you modified the material; retain an indication of previous modifications.

And looks like even in my case of CC0 : Indicate the material is available under Public License and include text/URI/link

I think they're in the wrong to not include your copyright licencing, nor a link.

On a users wouldn't know what licence to use.
I believe it's up to people to assume no rights at all unless mentioned or found otherwise.
In that case, it would be a "observable piece". A thing they can appreciate but can't use.

And in the "about" page of the website they have a similar disclamer.
https://www.101soundboards.com/pages/about
"These files are provided on this site under fair use purely for your own personal use and enjoyment."
Maybe there's an argument to be made there, that users aren't shown licencing because they can't use the website for projects that would require it.
Id say the material (sounds) require licencing to be shown along side it for usage. Usage like being displayed on a public website.

Brief update, I noticed the sounds at https://www.101soundboards.com/search/mianlind now contain license info:

As far as I remember this was not the case before. There are no links to the original or the license though.

Despite the impression you might get from the top link, individual sounds on the site have pages and allow downloads. Here's one example: https://www.101soundboards.com/sounds/27071515-teen-girl-hello-vocal-hello-female-girl-talk-2024-skylarmianlind-licensed-under-cc-by-40

If you suffer through an ad to be able to download the file, it is by default named "teen-girl-hello-vocal-hello-female-girl-talk-2024-skylarmianlind-licensed-under-cc-by-40-101soundboards.mp3"

They seem to have scraped most of my sounds too, so I think they've probably just wholesale scraped much of freesound. I think the convert everything to mp3.

Most of mine are also public domain, so I can't complain, but still seems lame, and they should certainly acknowledge freesound.

Has anyone asked that www.101soundboards.com remove their freesound sounds?

Bots that I've noticed for a long time and that download tons of stuff from the freesound. Aren't their accounts by any chance?)))
https://freesound.org/people/abcc123/
https://freesound.org/people/ccc1233/
https://freesound.org/people/consent4/
https://freesound.org/people/traker137/
I think I'm not the only one who knows them. The last two may not be bots. I have repeatedly contacted the site admins and some bots have even been deleted. But in the last appeal, for some reason they refused me, referring to the fact that new accounts would be made anyway.

i've sent them a message regarding the issue a couple weeks ago, i guess that's the case(?)

edit: i just checked their website again and found out that they took all my sounds down.

thanks everyone!

skylar.mianlind wrote:
i've sent them a message regarding the issue a couple weeks ago, i guess that's the case(?)

edit: i just checked their website again and found out that they took all my sounds down.

thanks everyone!

Hello freesounders.

This user indeed did use my sounds and did not respect my CCBY4.0 license

It was simple to search on there site to find if your sounds are there to by search on @yourusername
Al the orange buttons are your files.

This is the letter I have written to them.

I did it on the website and direct to info@ 101soundboards.com

============
Dear 101soundboards.com,
dear reader,

Research has shown that you have published many of my sounds (@klankbeeld) on your website. You got the sounds from freesound.org.

My sounds have a CCBY4.0 license.
It has come to my attention that you are not following this license.

To avoid legal prosecution by my lawyer, I will give you 14 days from now (May 1 2024) to remove all my sounds from your website.

I will also no longer allow you to publish my sounds on your website(s) in the future.

Furthermore, I will inform the freesound organization of your illegal activity.
I will request that they take action to put an end to your actions.

Kind regards,

user klankbeeld freesound.org

======

The worst part is for CC-BY-NC sounds, the site is clearly commercial given the ads.

One could argue "well they @ the username, they do give some credit" (although not enough).
According to https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/Recommended_practices_for_attribution#Examples_of_attribution
Proper attribution should include Title Author Source and License.
@username is not enough by itself.

But reposting none commercial sounds is bad IMO.

newlocknew wrote:
https://freesound.org/people/abcc123/
https://freesound.org/people/ccc1233/
https://freesound.org/people/consent4/
https://freesound.org/people/traker137/

Sadiquecat wrote:
The worst part is for CC-BY-NC sounds, the site is clearly commercial given the ads.

I'll ask if the owners of freesound would like to contact them with a message suggestion.

qubodup wrote:

newlocknew wrote:
https://freesound.org/people/abcc123/
https://freesound.org/people/ccc1233/
https://freesound.org/people/consent4/
https://freesound.org/people/traker137/

Nice find.

Sadiquecat wrote:
The worst part is for CC-BY-NC sounds, the site is clearly commercial given the ads.

I checked the first CC BY-NC sound from one of the above download lists (female laugh with inhale) and found it on 101soundboards.

I'll ask if the owners of freesound would like to contact them with a message suggestion.

I've checked their website now. All my sounds except the one with the CC0 license have been deleted.

The result from sending the message.
sounds deleted an they have my computer IP blocked for their system, but VPN works fine

klankbeeld wrote:
Hello freesounders.

This user indeed did use my sounds and did not respect my CCBY4.0 license

It was simple to search on there site to find if your sounds are there to by search on @yourusername
Al the orange buttons are your files.

This is the letter I have written to them.

I did it on the website and direct to info@ 101soundboards.com

============
Dear 101soundboards.com,
dear reader,

Research has shown that you have published many of my sounds (@klankbeeld) on your website. You got the sounds from freesound.org.

My sounds have a CCBY4.0 license.
It has come to my attention that you are not following this license.

To avoid legal prosecution by my lawyer, I will give you 14 days from now (May 1 2024) to remove all my sounds from your website.

I will also no longer allow you to publish my sounds on your website(s) in the future.

Furthermore, I will inform the freesound organization of your illegal activity.
I will request that they take action to put an end to your actions.

Kind regards,

user klankbeeld freesound.org
The Netherlands

======

The link from @newlocknew to user abcc123 ( https://freesound.org/people/abcc123/ with 194.223 downloads gives a striking result when searching the 101soundboards.com site;
The last sound downloaded was from freesound user @tim.kahn.
with the name "female laugh with inhale.wav'
The sound is there on 101…

an other sound is “end of canal road – MAXX.wav”
And guess….. it is on 101soundboards to

Could this be a coincidence?

newlocknew wrote:
Bots that I've noticed for a long time and that download tons of stuff from the freesound. Aren't their accounts by any chance?)))
https://freesound.org/people/abcc123/

klankbeeld wrote:
The link from @newlocknew to user abcc123 ( https://freesound.org/people/abcc123/ with 194.223 downloads gives a striking result when searching the 101soundboards.com site;
The last sound downloaded was from freesound user @tim.kahn.
with the name "female laugh with inhale.wav'
The sound is there on 101…

an other sound is “end of canal road – MAXX.wav”
And guess….. it is on 101soundboards to

Could this be a coincidence?

99.99% that this is exactly it!

Glad they deleted your sounds!
Looks like they're familiar with this forum thread and went as far as to delete mine as well.
Which was not required because CC0, but at this point I'm kind of glad they did.

As of today,
They did not delete "CC-BY-NC" sounds from other users.
Nor do they credit CC-BY appropriately yet. (I do realise updating a site might take time.)

Freesound and 101soundboard could have a good relationship, it's just a question of adding source and licence, to the currently shown title and author name. And removing none commercial sounds.
Then onwards they'd be in the rules, still have content to work with, and Freesound and its users would have more visibility. Win-win.

I hope they show good faith to follow those steps. And won't just delete the complaints to avoid trouble, whilst violating other users who do not.

I hope they let us know if we're heard, what's their intentions, how long it will take them to update to follow Creative Commons Licensing (if they will it.).

Sadiquecat wrote:
Glad they deleted your sounds!
Looks like they're familiar with this forum thread and went as far as to delete mine as well.
Which was not required because CC0, but at this point I'm kind of glad they did.

As of today,
They did not delete "CC-BY-NC" sounds from other users.
Nor do they credit CC-BY appropriately yet. (I do realise updating a site might take time.)

Freesound and 101soundboard could have a good relationship, it's just a question of adding source and licence, to the currently shown title and author name. And removing none commercial sounds.
Then onwards they'd be in the rules, still have content to work with, and Freesound and its users would have more visibility. Win-win.

I hope they show good faith to follow those steps. And won't just delete the complaints to avoid trouble, whilst violating other users who do not.

I hope they let us know if we're heard, what's their intentions, how long it will take them to update to follow Creative Commons Licensing (if they will it.).

I agree with @newlocknew. In the past a lot of freesound users fight someone who did behaved in the same wrong way. Thats why I fight them without being friendly.

newlocknew wrote:
On the one hand, you're right -Yes. On the other hand, I don't feel like turning to face them anymore.