YouTube Sues Gan Jing World, Accusing Video Site of ‘Stealing’ Content to ‘Create a Clone of YouTube’

YouTube filed a lawsuit against Ganjingworld, which operates the Gan Jing World video-sharing site, alleging that it has been “automatically vacuuming up YouTube user channels and associated content from YouTube.”

Ganjingworld’s service “clones most of YouTube’s functionalities and its overall appearance,” YouTube says in the suit, filed Wednesday in California state court. “But GJW’s imitation is anything but flattering. The striking similarities in GJW’s service are not the product of fair competition. Rather, GJW and those acting in concert with it have engaged in systematic and wide-ranging automated appropriation of content from the YouTube service.”

According to the lawsuit, Ganjingworld violated YouTube’s terms of service through the alleged massive copying of content and by selling advertising alongside it. YouTube also accuses GJW of violating California’s Unfair Competition Law.

Variety has reached out to Ganjingworld for comment.

In a statement, Lance Kavanaugh, VP of legal at YouTube, said, “Ganjingworld takes advantage of YouTube creators by stealing their content to create a clone of YouTube — depriving creators of the protections and controls they expect, and the ability to make money from their work. This is bad for creators and the overall ecosystem, and we are taking action to ensure it stops.”

YouTube filed the lawsuit against Ganjingworld on Dec. 18 in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Santa Clara. In the suit, YouTube is seeking unspecified monetary damages, legal fees and an injunction “prohibiting GJW from interfering in YouTube’s contractual relationships and redressing GJW’s unfair competition.” A copy of the complaint is available at this link.

Ganjingworld, based in Middletown, N.Y., is a subsidiary of Falun Dafa Gan Jing World Foundation Inc., a non-profit organization aligned with the Falun Gong “cult,” according to the YouTube lawsuit, which cites a March 19, 2024, article in the Columbia Journalism Review. According to YouTube’s lawsuit, “Falun Gong practitioners are asked to ‘browse [Gan Jing World] daily to increase traffic, subscribe to some channels, click the like buttons, and write positive comments,’” citing an article on Minghui.org, a website that says it is “dedicated to reporting on the Falun Gong community worldwide.”

YouTube channels and videos that Gan Jing World allegedly copied in wholesale fashion include those of top YouTuber Mark Rober, NPR Music (and its Tiny Desk Concert series), the YouTube Tech Guy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and YouTube itself, according to the complaint.

According to YouTube’s suit, Ganjingworld “has professed to be ignorant of this activity, despite countless angry complaints from creators and multiple demand letters from YouTube. It has claimed it merely distributed a ‘content synchronization’ tool that others use to grab whatever they please from YouTube and port it over to GJW.” The lawsuit continues, “Even if that were so (and YouTube believes GJW and its agents are far more involved in that process), GJW would still be liable for inducing its users to breach the users’ agreements with YouTube.”

“Many channels on GJW clone the corresponding channels on YouTube, including by displaying the same channel banner images, profile icon images, and channel descriptions displayed on YouTube. The videos accessible through the GJW channel generally consist of exact video duplicates of those videos on YouTube, and even include the same video titles and descriptions,” the YouTube lawsuit alleges.

On March 18, 2024, YouTube sent Ganjingworld a notice to “immediately cease and desist from its misconduct,” according to the lawsuit. GJW removed channels specifically identified in the letter, “but continued to host countless other channels improperly accessed and taken in full from YouTube using automated means,” the lawsuit alleges. YouTube sent GJW another letter on April 5, reiterating that GJW’s conduct violated the terms of service and demanding “it cease its misconduct.” On April 11, Ganjingworld “replied to YouTube denying any impropriety. GJW again removed the cloned channels that YouTube highlighted as examples of GJW’s wrongdoing, leaving countless others active on Gan Jing World, where they continue to generate advertising revenue for GJW,” the YouTube lawsuit states.

In its press materials, Gan Jing World says that it is “a U.S. company revolutionizing the digital user experience. Our Mission is to utilize technology to revitalize traditional connections — fostering a culture of care, kindness, mutual respect, and trust among individuals, within families, and throughout society. The platform allows for a multimedia-sharing environment where the fundamental mission is to create positive change in the world by showcasing inspiring content that uplifts society.”