When Will We Stop Platforms Like Dailymotion from Exploiting Independent Creators?

How much longer will the outrageous exploitation of independent creators be normalized? How can the masses just turn a blind eye, suggesting that we, the creators, must simply accept the dire reality we're thrust into? Picture this: you've painstakingly built a house, brick by brick, investing not just your resources but your very soul into making it a sanctuary. For independent filmmakers like myself, bearing the title 'independent' isn't a mere descriptor—it's an ongoing battle, demanding Herculean efforts far beyond those of mainstream juggernauts. And after all that toil, imagine watching your sanctuary being claimed by another, leaving you desolate.

Let me shout this out loud to shame Dailymotion: you, sitting in your plush offices, are complicit in this creative plunder. Dailymotion, a video-sharing platform founded in 2005, ostensibly champions 'freedom to share content.' But what freedom is there in the hijacking of our labor? This platform allows and facilitates users to upload any content, including, regrettably, stolen intellectual property. It then has the audacity to profit from advertisements displayed alongside these videos—ads that could very well be showing alongside stolen films and series from creators like me.

And my cut in this lucrative arrangement? A resounding, infuriating nothing. Not a single damn cent. How would you feel if your dreams were monetized by others? If you found yourself metaphorically homeless because some corporate giant decided they have the right to profit off your hard work without consent?

To those who say I'm merely throwing a tantrum—what would you have me do? Sit back in silence? Fade into obscurity while my life’s work is paraded and profited upon by indifferent corporate behemoths?

This is more than a personal vendetta; this is a clarion call to all who value creativity and justice. It's about every artist who wakes to find their creations pirated and peddled by faceless entities. It’s about every creator whose aspirations are dashed as platforms like Dailymotion laugh all the way to the bank, profiting from our pain and our passion without as much as a backward glance.

Enough is enough. It's time for action. It's time to demand that these platforms be held accountable—not just with our voices but with our choices. Stop supporting platforms that thrive on the exploitation of stolen content. Demand better. Fight back. We must unite and demand the respect and compensation our work rightfully deserves. Let's rise up, shout louder, and ensure that our voices, and our works, are protected. It’s time for justice. It's time for change.