Umm....CIN TTT videos on YouTube?
- Thread starter Rick Butler
- Start date
Breach of intellectual property.
Per video description:
© African Digital University 2022 Email: [email protected]
Per video description:
© African Digital University 2022 Email: [email protected]
Ah, we're back to the intellectual property talk we did a week or two ago. Then, it was ascertained that the slide decks from TTT could be happily re-used by anyone, to use or adjust for their own training. But apparently the same doesn't go for the videos?
I feel that sometime this, or next, year we might hit an interesting point with the CIN and TTT programs. I think CompTIA can't help but formalize a whole bunch of things around the TTT programs.
I feel that sometime this, or next, year we might hit an interesting point with the CIN and TTT programs. I think CompTIA can't help but formalize a whole bunch of things around the TTT programs.
I don't think any more formalization needs to happen for this stuff - the terms are already pretty clear. It's a matter of what is considered Fair Use and what is clearly an act of piracy. One only has to read the Terms of Use for CompTIA, On24, and YouTube to see this.
In my opinion (and I'm not an attorney, but I can read a TOU/EULA) it's not considered Fair Use for republishing a video because those are productions that were created by CompTIA. Between the licensing for videos hosted on On24, the Terms of Use for CompTIA to which every participant in TTT has to agree before joining, and particularly when reposting on YouTube under a different name, in this case, under African Digital University, it's not a gray issue at all.
An instructor downloading a PowerPoint presentation for his/her own use, or to build materials for a class, yes, this is a derivative work. But when you're taking a derivative work of a derivative work which has been okay'ed for public distribution - in this case, the Domain Objectives, permission has already been given for those derivations, although those objectives are still the copyright of CompTIA. (so a publisher would only have to cite that work in their derivation). Now if you use a person's additions to that derivative work, it's probably a good idea to reach out and secure permission anyway as a courtesy.
What we have here, in THIS case, is an entity wholly taking a work (a TTT session video) and reposting it without any indication of Permission from CompTIA AND under their OWN copyright flag. This would be a violation of YouTube's terms of service, as it's a pirated video - ADU had no right to republish the work if they didn't secure permission from CompTIA before doing so:
This is the same issue as if a college uses YouTube videos in their classroom materials. If the video is under the Standard YouTube license, it's a lot less murky than if you have videos that are licensed under the Creative Commons License - this requires the user to secure the permission of the owner of the material before using.
TL;DR - Secure permissions first before using a work in your class. Probably didn't happen here. But TTT instructors would generally have no issue with using their provided materials to build classes.
/r
In my opinion (and I'm not an attorney, but I can read a TOU/EULA) it's not considered Fair Use for republishing a video because those are productions that were created by CompTIA. Between the licensing for videos hosted on On24, the Terms of Use for CompTIA to which every participant in TTT has to agree before joining, and particularly when reposting on YouTube under a different name, in this case, under African Digital University, it's not a gray issue at all.
An instructor downloading a PowerPoint presentation for his/her own use, or to build materials for a class, yes, this is a derivative work. But when you're taking a derivative work of a derivative work which has been okay'ed for public distribution - in this case, the Domain Objectives, permission has already been given for those derivations, although those objectives are still the copyright of CompTIA. (so a publisher would only have to cite that work in their derivation). Now if you use a person's additions to that derivative work, it's probably a good idea to reach out and secure permission anyway as a courtesy.
What we have here, in THIS case, is an entity wholly taking a work (a TTT session video) and reposting it without any indication of Permission from CompTIA AND under their OWN copyright flag. This would be a violation of YouTube's terms of service, as it's a pirated video - ADU had no right to republish the work if they didn't secure permission from CompTIA before doing so:
This is the same issue as if a college uses YouTube videos in their classroom materials. If the video is under the Standard YouTube license, it's a lot less murky than if you have videos that are licensed under the Creative Commons License - this requires the user to secure the permission of the owner of the material before using.
TL;DR - Secure permissions first before using a work in your class. Probably didn't happen here. But TTT instructors would generally have no issue with using their provided materials to build classes.
/r
Comes from a lot of research and digging. YouTube is a great platform for all that, but there are some pretty big obstacles to navigate.
That youtube channel looks to be a huge fan. They got the Security+, Network+, CySA+, Server+, CASP+, Cloud+ TTT playlists. 
Wow...yeah, they are all about pirating content from various sources. Oracle...Skills Network...yeah, I think CompTIA needs to do a Complaint, tout de suite.
Other folks in the CompTIA organization are looking at this.
I will say that our TTT series are for you, the instructors teaching the certifications. They are a resource to being part of this community. The ADUN community went to a lot of work ripping videos from ON24 and posting to YouTube.
I think there were other avenues that could have been taken if they wanted to work with CIN to provide access to their community.
I will say that our TTT series are for you, the instructors teaching the certifications. They are a resource to being part of this community. The ADUN community went to a lot of work ripping videos from ON24 and posting to YouTube.
I think there were other avenues that could have been taken if they wanted to work with CIN to provide access to their community.
My guess is that they wanted to launch a channel and draw views in the fastest way they could. So pirating CompTIA, Udemy, Skillsoft - whatever they can get, apparently. ADUN is based out of Stellenbosch University in South Africa.
*resisting the urge to start practicing some of those passive recon activities we are learning in PenTest+ TTT....like....REALLY resisting...*
The other unfortunate, sobering thing is that the person who did it is a CIN member - since they would have to be in order to access the resources tab and get over to the On24 platform to snarf the videos.
/r
*resisting the urge to start practicing some of those passive recon activities we are learning in PenTest+ TTT....like....REALLY resisting...*
The other unfortunate, sobering thing is that the person who did it is a CIN member - since they would have to be in order to access the resources tab and get over to the On24 platform to snarf the videos.
/r
That is exactly what I was referring to earlier, when I wrote:
When I joined CIN, the requirements to get access were very loose. Basically wait for someone to let you in. But generally speaking, anyone could walk off the streets, ask for an account and get access.
I'm not an official CompTIA training partner. Not related to any CompTIA partner either, nor have I worked for CompTIA themselves. The only teaching I do is at a school where I teach Linux+.
It's possible that the folks running this YouTube channel came in the same way. And with them dozens of others. Who knows? Hence why I was dreading a more formal vetting process for CIN.
Well, to use some Risk Mitigation terminology, Avoidance through more intense screening is not a possible mitigation to prevent TTT stuff from being pirated. I think Reduction by virtue of CIN members being vigilant and notifying CompTIA of potential IP breaches and Recovery from CompTIA's legal team looking it and taking the appropriate steps for protection of the work.
I kinda think, based on my digging around on the ADUN's website, that there are a bunch of well-meaning, great folks who want to expand education for Africa (a noble goal!) and it's probably some person who is a little more exuberant and less knowledgeable of international copyright laws.
I think Stephen is onto something - there may be a great opportunity for CompTIA to partner and work with ADUN in the right way - if the correct people are around the table to do it right - and something that CIN can do as part of a greater work.
/r
Well, thanks for that, Tess. It was disconcerting when I was cruising around YouTube and I saw @Glenn Hobbs in his office, doing a session, in the list of suggested videos. That prompted a "Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot" - and well, you know the rest.