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| My Dailymotion channel in 2022 Via Archive Wayback Machine |
Some of my readers and followers may have noticed that I have a Dailymotion channel, where I have uploaded hundreds of my videos since 2014. Unfortunately, some of my old articles now contain embedded Dailymotion videos that no longer play.
In short, Dailymotion is a French online video-sharing platform currently owned by Canal+. Prior to 2024, it was owned by Vivendi, establishing it as a significant European alternative to YouTube. The purpose of this article is to explain the ongoing situation I am facing. I know that some people are already disappointed that my videos have disappeared. I want to be clear that I do not intend to make this a 'rant' article; I simply wish to bring awareness to an issue I'm encountering. This is not intended to cause any negativity towards Dailymotion or its staff, as my preference is to resolve these problems reasonably.
The Disappearing Content
I am disappointed that nearly all my videos (dating from 2014 to 2024) have disappeared from my Dailymotion channel. Crucially, I did not receive any notification about this, either by email or on the website.
I first raised the issue with Dailymotion on 13th November 2025, after a friend informed me that my videos were no longer publicly available. While I could initially still see the video entries in my account, they were non-playable due to apparent encoding errors.
On the same day, I exercised my rights under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by submitting a Subject Access Request (SAR). I specifically requested to contact a Data Protection Officer (DPO) with various questions regarding the removal of my content and the right to be informed.
Dailymotion responded, acknowledging my issue and stating they had raised it with the relevant teams. They then requested I provide my identity, a sworn statement, and proof of UK residency to proceed with my data protection rights request.
Following this, on 17th November, I discovered that my videos had also disappeared from the Studio page of my account. I sent a follow-up message to draw further awareness to this escalation and to request confirmation that they had received the documents for my SAR. Unfortunately, I have not yet received a reply.
The Scale of the Problem
I do not recall the exact number of videos that I have uploaded to Dailymotion, but I do remember it was over 300 videos. The screenshot at the top of this article shows a figure of 317 as of 2022. It would be a huge inconvenience for me to re-upload hundreds of videos dating back to 2014 and then go through all my old articles to update the embedded video links.
As it is too early for me to draw conclusions, and as I want to solve the issue reasonably, I will not make any allegations. I will give Dailymotion time. A SAR has a statutory one-month time limit for a response to my request and other questions sent to the DPO and relevant people. They may extend my SAR by two months in accordance with guidance from the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
While I cannot confirm or deny if anyone else is in a similar situation, I am aware that Dailymotion is not as popular in the UK as other platforms, though certain UK news sites do use it to post and embed news-related content.
My Work and Community
I would like to let the staff and management of Dailymotion (including the owners of Canal+) know that I am more than just a videographer. I use my website to post articles, including news and suggestions on how to improve the public transport system in London and beyond as part of my activism.
I also post news on social media (links at the end of this article) where I have a unique network of followers. These include elected officials such as Members of Parliament and councillors, journalists, organisations (business, transport, disability groups, etc.), and transport companies (bus manufacturers and operating companies). I have worked hard over the years to achieve these connections and have even had some of my articles and social media posts linked and embedded by them. Here's one example:
I understand that many enthusiasts post videos on YouTube and on other platforms like TikTok (international) and Instagram with shorter videos.The Financial Times has linked to my article regarding London Underground journeys in their Alphaville section. Many thanks for linking to my article. 🙂
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) June 18, 2024 at 7:00 PM
[image or embed]
Public transport is a very important asset in tackling climate change, and as I said back in 2024, transport enthusiasts are the biggest promoters of public transport. Over the years, I have enjoyed taking videos of public transport, including buses, trains, and light rail. This is also part of documenting history for posterity; years from now, people can see how things have changed, both in terms of vehicles on the road and railway services. This work includes my articles on accessibility and suggestions for improvement.
I do not classify myself as an 'influencer' and have no intention of changing my content to a TikTok style, as I prefer to keep things informative. I respect other transport enthusiasts, commentators, and activists both in the UK and around the world who do things their own way to promote public transport, especially with the large following they have achieved.
I also strive to help improve accessibility on public transport with my ideas and research. Here are some of my articles:
Advice For Wheelchair Users In The Event of Missed Assistance (Staff With Wheelchair Ramp) At Railway Stations
Suggestion: Improvements To Wheelchair Accessibility At Railway Stations Should Include Allowing Other Staff To Use The Wheelchair Ramps
Fact Check: Wheelchair Users ♿ Get Free Travel And Priority On London Buses
Fact Check: Disabled And Older People's English Bus Pass (ENCTS) Users Are Valid On London Buses
London's Bus Services Play A Vital Role In Accessibility For Tube And Railway Stations That Don't Have Step-free Access
No matter what happens, I will not give up; I will keep going. The biggest achievement is to help others, and that is something I have enjoyed doing, both on my website and on social media.
I do hope, with fingers crossed, 🤞 that Dailymotion resolves the issue with my videos and reinstates them. If there are any other issues, they should let me know by email.
I would like to extend an invite for you to follow me on X (formerly Twitter) for transport-related updates. You can find me by searching for @CLondoner92 or by clicking on the direct link to my X page here. I am also present on BlueSky and Mastodon. I look forward to connecting with you on these platforms. Thank you for your support.
