GoKawiilPhotopea developer says GitHub denied DMCA takedown of cracked, ad-free clones
The creator of browser-based editor Photopea reports that AI tools are being used to strip JavaScript code from the site, remove ads, and republish it as standalone repositories on GitHub. After filing a DMCA notice on September 4, 2026, the developer received a response a month later stating GitHub could not confirm a violation of 17 U.S. Code § 1201, and is now asking the HN community for advice, including whether to pursue legal action.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The case highlights a growing problem for web-based software makers: AI coding tools can make it trivial to strip out ads or paywalls and redistribute functionally identical copies, undermining the revenue model of free-to-use sites supported by advertising. It also raises questions about how platforms like GitHub handle DMCA anti-circumvention claims at scale, since the developer suspects the response was automated rather than individually reviewed, which could suggest under-resourced moderation of takedown requests more broadly.
- Photopea's developer says dozens of GitHub repos host ad-stripped clones of its code, likely produced using AI.
- A DMCA takedown filed September 4, 2026 was rejected a month later for not confirming a Section 1201 violation.
- The developer is weighing legal options and questions whether GitHub's takedown review process is meaningfully human-reviewed.
Source: news.ycombinator.com, 2026-10-06
Published there as: “Tell HN: GitHub refuses to remove cracked copies of my software after a month”
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