18 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
18 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Copyright Infringiment

by crowly
16 replies
Hi guys,

I just copyscape on one of my sites and guess what - there is a guy that copied one of my articles and slapped it on his websites. Removing "in text"links, but adding " to view original article click here " at the bottom. The host company is placed in Germany. Should I bother sending him a letter to remove my article or place the in text links back. Would the presence of my article on his site hurt my site?

Thanks all,
Crowly
#copyright #infringiment
  • Profile picture of the author tpw
    Contact him. Demand a take-down.

    If he does not reply, contact his hosting company and demand a take-down.

    There is no reason to expect they should feel bound by the DMCA, since that is US law, but most countries do honor our copyright law, because they desire for us to honor their copyright law.

    If neither party acts on your take-down demand, you are left with two options:

    1. Ignore it and go on with your life;

    2. Start a awareness campaign against the thieves. (If you can embarrass them, you can shame them into compliance.)
    Signature
    Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
    Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063197].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author rosetrees
      If the "read original" article links back to my article or site I usually let it go.

      If it links to the thief's affiliate link or site then I issue a DMCA notice.

      I think I'm getting a bit of a thing about it. I found a site using the word "s**m" in association with my tutorial a couple of days ago. I asked that if they feel the product is a ****, they contact me and explain why. The offending page has been removed.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063221].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by tpw View Post

      There is no reason to expect they should feel bound by the DMCA, since that is US law, but most countries do honor our copyright law, because they
      ...are signatory to the Berne Convention on Copyright.

      They don't honour our laws, but their laws - like ours - are required by multilateral treaty to meet certain minimum standards.
      Signature
      "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063433].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author crowly
    thanks rosetress, I think I will let it go. My main concern was Google demoting my site due to this duplicate issue..
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063301].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author tpw
      Originally Posted by crowly View Post

      thanks rosetress, I think I will let it go. My main concern was Google demoting my site due to this duplicate issue..

      Duplicate Content Filter applies to content on your own site.

      But if you are truly concerned about it, you can file a DMCA complaint thru channels at Google, and they will remove the thief's website from Google's index.
      Signature
      Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
      Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063335].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author crowly
        Originally Posted by tpw View Post

        Duplicate Content Filter applies to content on your own site.

        But if you are truly concerned about it, you can file a DMCA complaint thru channels at Google, and they will remove the thief's website from Google's index.

        Sure, but wont Google demote one of the articles/pages? I guess its up To G to decide whos article is " original" ?
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063367].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by crowly View Post

      thanks rosetress, I think I will let it go. My main concern was Google demoting my site due to this duplicate issue..
      I would first contact him and request that he take it down, mentioning that you will file a DMCA if he doesn't. If he doesn't, I'd file the DMCA with his host.

      You can get the instructions and a sample DMCA here:
      http://domainingdiva.com/legal-issue...ipoff-artists/

      As for the duplicate content issue, Google doesn't penalize for duplicate content unless it's duplicate content on one site. Look at how many articles are indexed in many different article directories ... all identical and most indexed.

      If the DMCA fails because he's on an offshore host that allows copyright infringement, nothing else to do but let it go.

      For the most part, with the exception of some very black hat sites, I've had content removed ... even pirated content as well as articles.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063489].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author tpw
    If only two of you are ranking for the same content, only one copy will be #1 and the other #2.

    The original publisher does not matter in Google's algorithms.

    It only matters which version they consider to be more important, and therefore which one is at #1 and which at #2.

    It is not really a matter of one being demoted, but rather which one their algorithm deems more important.
    Signature
    Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
    Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063387].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author crowly
    Alright, just saw that this guy actually has copied like 10 of my articles at least. leaving a link at the end " view original"..what a prick.. All his articles are duplicate content
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063392].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author tpw
      Originally Posted by crowly View Post

      Alright, just saw that this guy actually has copied like 10 of my articles at least. leaving a link at the end " view original"..what a prick

      There are a lot of people out there like that.

      I would follow the Webmaster, Web Host, then Google DMCA path.

      Expect the Webmaster to ignore you, because he obviously knows what he is doing. But make sure you do it right anyway.

      Then contact his web hosting company. At this step, the web host will usually either delete the offending pages or the offending website.

      The latter is preferable to teach the guy a lesson.

      If the first two steps prove fruitless, pursue step three. Then you will never need to worry about whether Google values his site above yours, because his domain will be blacklisted in Google.
      Signature
      Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
      Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063404].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author crowly
        Originally Posted by tpw View Post

        There are a lot of people out there like that.

        I would follow the Webmaster, Web Host, then Google DMCA path.

        Expect the Webmaster to ignore you, because he obviously knows what he is doing. But make sure you do it right anyway.

        Then contact his web hosting company. At this step, the web host will usually either delete the offending pages or the offending website.

        The latter is preferable to teach the guy a lesson.

        If the first two steps prove fruitless, pursue step three. Then you will never need to worry about whether Google values his site above yours, because his domain will be blacklisted in Google.
        Hi tpw,

        I read a story here. I guy complaint about copyright with google and his website was out of the index fro few months as well as the stealer..I really cant afford that atm
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063421].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author tpw
          Originally Posted by crowly View Post

          Hi tpw,

          I read a story here. I guy complaint about copyright with google and his website was out of the index fro few months as well as the stealer..I really cant afford that atm

          I have never seen that happen. I tend to believe that case was an aberration, because the person complaining did not have clean hands either.

          But if we get Suzanne (View Profile: sbucciarel) in this thread, she can offer additional testimony, because she has more experience than I do in this.

          I have pm'ed Suzanne.

          p.s. Thank you Caliban.
          Signature
          Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
          Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063434].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author crowly
    thank tpw, this guys site is just laughable. He is probably using some scrapper cause there are totally unrelated post that have the " keyword " in the title.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063458].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author crowly
    host says Austria..and be looking at his site he wont care and host wont care..I am starting to dont care myself
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063501].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Don Schenk
    Crowly, your post reminded me to go check to see if articles I just put on a new blog had been copied.

    Sure enough! Someone ran one of my articles through a spinner, turning a lot of it into total nonsense. What an idiot.

    I don't want a resource box on that one!

    :-Don
    Signature

    Studies prove happier people have massively more success. It has worked for me. Use this one trick too... Click Here

    Total Competition Stomper - Simply the most powerful tactic your IM or Offline business will ever use... See it here!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3063569].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author JD Nunes
    Someone once stole my landing page, graphics and even the wording on it. I contacted him and told him he better take it down, and he did, lol. Then again, the entire Internet marketing community did that to Eben Pagan and his Double Your Dating brand - that's what made a certain landing page style so popular...
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3064129].message }}

Trending Topics