Tell HN: GitHub refuses to remove cracked copies of my software after a month
I am a developer of https://www.photopea.com, a popular photo editor that runs in a web browser. Many people are asking AI models to take the Javascript code from my website, remove all ads from it, and they publish such a "new product" on Github for everyone to download. There exist tens of such repositories on Github. I want my website to be the only source of a stable version of my program…
The developer of popular web-based photo editor Photopea expressed frustration over GitHub's refusal to remove unauthorized, cracked versions of their software. Over a hundred repositories on GitHub offer modified versions of Photopea, which the developer claims to be the exclusive source for. Despite reporting the issue to GitHub on September 4th, 2026, the platform has taken no action, even a month later.
In a response to the developer, GitHub stated that they were unable to confirm a violation of 17 U.S. Code § 1201, the anti-circumvention statute. The developer is left questioning the effectiveness of their report and considering seeking legal assistance outside the digital realm.
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