Update II: HuggingFace

22 April, 2025

At approximately 5:00 AM (GMT), 22nd April, access to the Artfol dataset was disabled on HuggingFace. This means any and all content in the dataset is no longer accessible. Removal of this dataset follows after we had sent multiple emails to the offending parties as well as the numerous reports sent by our users. We thank everyone who has helped in this process, from filing takedowns to spreading awareness and helping others in the community with this.

Update: HuggingFace

21 April, 2025

As of the 21st of April, the author of the dataset has cooperated in removing artwork belonging to any individual user who has opened a report on HuggingFace. This still means, if you would like your data to be removed, you will need to follow the instructions below to open a report and email the author to remove your data.

However, we acknowledge there may have been some miscommunication in regards to what data was scraped and what data was not. The Artfol dataset contains only text from the post metadata; this includes your unique user id, artwork title, artwork filters, post url, and image url. Even though this dataset does not contain any direct images, it contains links to your artwork as well as the metadata associated with it, which may contain sensitive information or IP (intellectual property) that belongs to you. Because of this, it is still within your rights to request the removal of your data from the dataset.

We are still working with other sites to takedown all datasets containing content from Artfol and other platforms. In the meantime, the best way to protect yourself is to open a report on HuggingFace and email the author to remove your data (instructions can be found below).

How to Request a Takedown of Your Artwork from HuggingFace

19 April, 2025

PREFACE

This is not legal advice and we recommend you consult with your attorney if you would like to pursue legal action.

We are currently collaborating with other affected site owners to explore a class action lawsuit against the creator of the dataset and HuggingFace for hosting infringing content. On our end, we have already sent formal takedown notices to the appropriate parties and are awaiting a response. In the meantime, we encourage you to report the original dataset on HuggingFace to help raise visibility and urgency around this issue. We believe that increased community action and voices will speed up the resolution of this issue.

We've outlined the steps you can take to request a takedown of your own content from the dataset. A big shout-out to PaperDemon for publishing many resources to help spread awareness of this situation. They have written a comprehensive guide which you can find here as well as released the instructions which we based this off of here.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1

Create an account on HuggingFace.

2

Visit the webpage on HuggingFace that contains the Artfol dataset: https://huggingface.co/datasets/nyuuzyou/artfol

(If you have work on any other sites, you can request a takedown following the same steps)

• 1 paperdemon-art
• 2 paperdemon-writings
• 3 archiveofourown
• 4 characterhub
• 5 artgram
• 6 itaku

3

Click the "Report" button on the dataset page.

4

Select "Copyright Infringement" as the reason.

5

In the message box, include a clear and polite request. Here's an example template:

To whom it may concern,

My name is <HANDLE(S) YOUR ART IS DISPLAYED UNDER> and I am the copyright holder of several works of art and writing that were collected and are currently contained in your dataset. I have not consented to my work being part of this dataset/collection. I request its expeditious removal from any data collection, data scraping, AI training, AI learning, or any other unapproved usage of my content. Once you have received my CSV with the specified data via email, I expect any matching data to be removed from any of the above items within three to five days.

In addition, in the future, I neither give, nor grant, you or HuggingFace permission to use my work or to include my works in datasets/collections, unless that work has been, in writing, specifically licensed to you by myself.

This letter is to serve as official notification of copyright infringement pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") 17 U.S.C. § 512(c) (3) for materials in your collection.

Additionally, under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applicable in the EU, I assert my rights under Article 17 (Right to Erasure) and Article 21 (Right to Object). You are required to cease processing and delete all personal data relating to me (such as my user id) that was collected or used without my explicit consent.

Upon receipt of this notice, I request that you expeditiously remove or disable access to the materials identified above; being the subject of infringement.

I am providing this notice in good faith and with the reasonable belief that my rights as the exclusive copyright holder are being infringed.

I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

<Current Date>

Remember: DO be unwaveringly clear and completely polite. DO NOT include your URLs in any direct message via Hugging Face. We'll outline how to send them in an email in a few steps.

6

Get a CSV of the artwork by using the button below. You will need to save this as a text file so you can send it to the appropriate parties when requesting removal.

Get csv

7

Select one of the below letter templates, and adjust as needed. Remember to be CLEAR and POLITE. To get your items removed, you must send them to the original scraper:

The author of this dataset is Nyuuzyou. Their email is: hf [at] ducks.party

Template One

My account is <YOUR ACCOUNT NAME>. I have no interest in my current nor future body of work being part of this dataset, and have not consented to its use. I am requesting you remove it with haste. I will be providing a CSV of my links via email.

Template Two

As the owner of art that has been posted on the Artfol platform, I am politely requesting for you, nyuuzyou, to remove my work and any iterations of my work that may be on backup from your dataset. I will be providing a CSV with all of my links.

Template Three

My account is <YOUR ACCOUNT NAME>, and I do not consent to any of my past, current or future content to be used in data collection, data scraping, AI training, AI learning or any other usage of my content. As such I request you remove my art and content from this and any other datasets that contain my property within a timely manner of <HOUR TIME FRAME> as of <TODAY'S DATE>.

8

If you don't hear back from nyuuzyou about your takedown request within a few days, please file an official DMCA request by filling out this form:

https://www.copyright.gov/512/sample-notice.pdf

And email it to [email protected].

Important Notes

• Do NOT post your URLs publicly. Only email them to the scraper you are requesting remove the theft.
• Please be respectful with your request. There is no reason to be hostile or rude and doing so will not help you or your case.

If you would like to join in on the conversation on Artfol, please visit the following links:

• Art post by @Snakewithblade: https://artfol.app/a/BnHqF8i
• Text post by @Kydotexe: https://artfol.app/a/HAukMmg