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Somebody cloned my website, now he ranks better!

by Big0ne
17 replies
Hello guys!

Somebody totally cloned my unique, custom-made website, even used my javascript code from it and then registered about 20 domain names along with my domain name, using .net and .org to place his clones.

Sad thing is, he now ranks better for my keywords in Google :rolleyes:

I tried to contact him, his host and I got no respond from anybody.

What do you suggest me to do about this?

Any help would be more than welcome!
#cloned #ranks #website
  • Profile picture of the author MKTGBlogger
    Hi,

    a dmca complaint should help, but you might have some difficult to claim your rights?

    are you sure you have contacted his host? if you make a dmca complaint his host will for sure respond to your email, but you might have contact a middle host instead of the main hosting provider? maybe you contacted a reseller?
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  • Profile picture of the author KyleMallory
    Google does remove copyrighted results from their search: https://support.google.com/legal/tro...r/1114905?rd=2
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    • Profile picture of the author brentb
      Just because he copied your site doesn't mean there is any copyright infringement. Did he copy your articles? Did he use your copyrighted graphics? Are the domains he used a Trademark?

      If you stuff isn't copyrighted or trademarked then you are just screwed. Nothing a DMCA or a lawyer or anyone can do about it.

      So think long and hard if he is ACTUALLY violating a copyright or trademark before wasting your time pursuing this further.

      Many businesses are copies and there are many ways to do it perfectly legally. Simply ranking for your keywords and making a extremely similar site do not count.
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      • Profile picture of the author Cool Hand Luke
        Originally Posted by brentb View Post

        Just because he copied your site doesn't mean there is any copyright infringement. Did he copy your articles? Did he use your copyrighted graphics? Are the domains he used a Trademark?

        If you stuff isn't copyrighted or trademarked then you are just screwed. Nothing a DMCA or a lawyer or anyone can do about it.

        So think long and hard if he is ACTUALLY violating a copyright or trademark before wasting your time pursuing this further.

        Many businesses are copies and there are many ways to do it perfectly legally. Simply ranking for your keywords and making a extremely similar site do not count.
        Lol there's so much wrong with this post that I wouldn't even know where to begin dissecting it.

        OP-ignore EVERYTHING written by the individual above, primarily because your creative content is AUTOMATICALLY copyrighted upon publication under Federal law.

        DMCA the site's host and take the proper steps to have Google remove them from from search engines listing.
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        • Profile picture of the author brentb
          Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke View Post

          Lol there's so much wrong with this post that I wouldn't even know where to begin dissecting it.

          OP-ignore EVERYTHING written by the individual above, primarily because your creative content is AUTOMATICALLY copyrighted upon publication under Federal law.

          DMCA the site's host and take the proper steps to have Google remove them from from search engines listing.
          He didn't say his creative content was copied. He said his site was cloned. Technically a "clone" site has the same functionality of the original but is not an exact copy of the original, its just programmed for the same functionality. Which btw is 100% legal unless the functionality is patented (which I highly doubt a patent is involved here). Nowhere in his post did he say his creative content was copied. So maybe read a little closer, everything I said was accurate. I have worked in the content licensing business for over 5 years I know a thing or two about copied content.

          Even if he copied his content, well if his content is just PLR and open source graphics then its NOT copyrighted by him and he has no right to file DMCA.
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      • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
        Originally Posted by brentb View Post

        If you stuff isn't copyrighted or trademarked then you are just screwed. Nothing a DMCA or a lawyer or anyone can do about it.

        So think long and hard if he is ACTUALLY violating a copyright or trademark before wasting your time pursuing this further.
        You should research long and hard into copyright law.

        Echo Cool Hand Luke. Copyright is automatic.
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        • Profile picture of the author Chris Grable
          Originally Posted by Daniel Evans View Post

          You should research long and hard into copyright law.

          Echo Cool Hand Luke. Copyright is automatic.
          I THINK we are talking apples and oranges... Yes... anything you write is automatically copyrighted. Domain names however are not protected in the same way. Suppose I register.. forumpostsgetconfusing.com. There is nothing to prevent someone else from registering

          forumpostsgetconfusing.net
          forumpostsgetconfusing.org
          forumpostsgetconfusing.info
          etc...

          UNLESS you trademarked forumpostsgetconfusing.

          Hope that makes sense....


          chris
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          • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
            A "cloned website" is carbon copied content pertaining to (auto) copyright.

            The domain name is another matter entirely pertaining to (potential) trademark.

            So yep, those two are apples and oranges but I spoke speciafically in relation to copyright law.
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            • Profile picture of the author Chris Grable
              Yes!! brentb's position (I THINK) is that the OP didn't establish how he defined or measured "cloned". The only "near specifics" provided were about the domain name.

              Aside from that most of the discussion here has been technically correct. Yours, mine, Luke's, sbucciarel, brentb's, ....

              The best question/point in this entire thread was Kyle's where he asked if "code" was copyrighted. This is an area where I am VERY far from an expert but the answer is "yes, of course...". The trouble is there is a lot of gray area concerning what is copyrightable... Look at any 10 websites out there and Ifind it hard to believe that you won't find at least tow lines of code which are common to each of them... So who's copyright was violated? No ones... but at what point does a collection of code become extensive enough or complete enough from a functional perspective to make it copyrightable? Once again... I have no idea.

              The key question still stands.... What does cloned mean?

              And while we are digging into this.... where is the OP... He/she through thisaccusation on the table and has not returned. Did they get distracted or have they realized that the world is a little more complicated than they originally thought.

              I don't know....

              What I do know is that forumpostsgetcomplicated when people don't read them carefully.

              Maybe I SHOULD register a couple versions of forumpostsgetconfusing

              Cheers,
              chris
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  • Profile picture of the author Brent Stangel
    totally cloned my unique, custom-made website, even used my javascript code from it
    If they are not using something you own exclusive rights to, you have just learned the true meaning of competition.
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    Get Off The Warrior Forum Now & Don't Come Back If You Want To Succeed!
    All The Real Marketers Are Gone. There's Nothing Left But Weak, Sniveling Wanna-Bees!
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    • Profile picture of the author brentb
      Originally Posted by Brent Stangel View Post

      If they are not using something you own exclusive rights to, you have just learned the true meaning of competition.
      Exactly this.
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  • Profile picture of the author KyleMallory
    I'm not familiar with programming laws, but if he custom coded the website and the offender is using his code, isn't that code copyrighted?
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    • Profile picture of the author brentb
      The question is he using his code OR did he code something that accomplishes the exact same function of his code?

      Even if he uses the same code, does he use ALL the same code or is he just using one function ie like an html submit form button which obviously anyone can use that.
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      • Profile picture of the author Chris Grable
        It's also possible that the "custom" site was not all that "custom"... Did you build it yourself or did you pay someone to do it? If you did it, and you know that it is original, you have a lot better position in this.

        If someone else did it... you need to start wondering if they started with an available template or theme and populated it with PLR. Not saying that DID happen.... just that you should make sure.

        cag
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    File a DMCA with his host. Otherwise, they won't do anything about it. It works and it works fast. You need to file the DMCA and list each article that he stole on each website that he posted it.

    Here's a post that gives you a template and tells you how to fill it out
    http://domainingdiva.com/legal-issue...ipoff-artists/
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  • Profile picture of the author Big0ne
    Hello guys!

    I am still here and alive.

    Thank you for all your suggestions and opinions on this case.

    The easiest way would be to link blast his domains, but I am not that kind of guys and he could easily do this to me as well.

    Since nothing has changed I decided to hire somebody/service who can properly fill DMCA/takedown request and take care of this case.

    Can you guys recommend anybody or any service?

    Thank you so much!
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