Recently we reported on a Japanese man who was arrested for a YouTube upload. Now he’s been found guilty
Better watch who you spoil! You could go to jail for this. Well, the spoiler has only marginally something to do with why a YouTuber has now been officially sentenced to prison in Japan.
We already reported a few months ago about this quite curious precedent that led to the first time a person was arrested for uploading gameplay videos to YouTube. Now there has actually been a conviction.
Jail for Let’s Play?
The gameplay videos mentioned are uploads by 53-year-old Japanese Shinobu Yoshida, in which he played the visual novel (Steins;Gate: My Darling’s Embrace) and in which, among other things, the end of this romantic comedy could be seen. Yoshida also uploaded edited videos of the anime Steins;Gate and SPYXFAMILY, in which the plot was summarised in a shortened form.
In this case, it was particularly relevant that Yoshida not only uploaded the videos without consulting the rights holders, but also had them monetised in order to make money from them. To make matters worse for the gameplay, the gameplay portion of a Visual Novel is so small that such a video is quite a free alternative to purchase.
In a (statement of the Japanese Content Overseas Distribution Association) (CODA), which had first accused Shinobu Yoshida, there is talk of malice
and unfair advertising revenues
. In addition, Yoshida had previously confessed that he was aware of breaking the law.
On 7 September, the accused was then officially sentenced to 2 years in prison and a fine of one million yen, which is equivalent to about 6,300 euros. However, Yoshida will not go to prison immediately, but will be on probation for five years If he does not break another law and fulfils the conditions of his probation, he will escape jail time
In conclusion, CODA talks of continuing to counter the unauthorised distribution of protected Japanese content in the future.
