How to prove copyright of ebook.

14 years ago

Originally Posted by alg

Hey folks,

Say I wrote an ebook and some people decide to just copy it and re sell. How do I prove copyright?

Alex.

Hi Alex,

I found some interesting reading, as well as a video on "how to" for you.

Check it out:

How to Copyright a Book - wikiHow

Also check out this government source:

http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/

Hope this helped.

Cheers,

JMB

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Headfirst

14 years ago

In the old days I was a playright and we used what we called the "poor mans copyright". Print the full document and mail it to yourself by certified mail.

Once you receive it, label it and file it away. DO NOT OPEN IT. If you ever need to prove when you wrote it you have an unopened certified letter with the date of mailing stamped and certified by the USPS.

That being said, I don't know if that would actually hold up in court

Generally, the more worried you are about content thieves the less you really need to be worried (those with no money fear getting ripped off the most)

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Dan C. Rinnert

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Headfirst

In the old days I was a playright and we used what we called the "poor mans copyright". Print the full document and mail it to yourself by certified mail.

Once you receive it, label it and file it away. DO NOT OPEN IT. If you ever need to prove when you wrote it you have an unopened certified letter with the date of mailing stamped and certified by the USPS.

That being said, I don't know if that would actually hold up in court

There are no cases where it has been successfully used in court.* If anyone ever comes across such a case, please let me know.

I mean, you could mail yourself a bunch of unsealed or loosely sealed envelopes via certified mail and put something in them at a later date.

EDIT: *At least in the United States. In other countries, your mileage may vary.

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JMB Marketing Group

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Headfirst

In the old days I was a playright and we used what we called the "poor mans copyright". Print the full document and mail it to yourself by certified mail.

Once you receive it, label it and file it away. DO NOT OPEN IT. If you ever need to prove when you wrote it you have an unopened certified letter with the date of mailing stamped and certified by the USPS.

That being said, I don't know if that would actually hold up in court

Generally, the more worried you are about content thieves the less you really need to be worried (those with no money fear getting ripped off the most)

Here's some threads to check out on the "Poor Man's Copyright" Theory:

Poor man's copyright - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...opywright.html

http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...fringment.html

Hope this helps settle some disputes!

Cheers,

JMB

P.S. I'm not a lawyer; just worked as a Legal Assistant for one of the toughest and best Civil Litigation Law Firm & Lawyer (who is part owner) on Bay Street!

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Dadelius

14 years ago

Print the book out, and take it to a notary public, cost you $25.00 to have him/her sign off on the date, as well as any witnesses you have that can verify you wrote it (wife?)

But at the end of the day, the kid who steals it off of you won't be worth the trouble to fight the legal battle proving it is indeed yours. But having the documents will help prove your case to those who wonder who was the originating author.

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Sardent

14 years ago

It depends on how you're selling the ebook.
There are scripts out there that will add a unique license number to a pdf and generate a new pdf each time and tie it to a particular sale.

You start seeing many copies of a single number you know who is passing it out.

Just like there are scripts that will individualize reports with your name and links.

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Dadelius

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Sardent

It depends on how you're selling the ebook.
There are scripts out there that will add a unique license number to a pdf and generate a new pdf each time and tie it to a particular sale.

You start seeing many copies of a single number you know who is passing it out.

Just like there are scripts that will individualize reports with your name and links.

Sardent, are you saying that for each download or sale, it prints a unique serial number in each book?

If so, do you remember what it was called? I'm going to check in Google, but that sounds awesome, just about to launch an ebook next week, and would like to protect it as best I can.

Thanks for the tip!

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Sardent

14 years ago

Sorry, I see so many sites when I'm looking around.
But it's out there. I don't remember what it's called but I saw it in use a couple of times.

Yep. A unique license # for each one based on the purchasers name and any other info that was collected.

It was part of one of those rebranding scripts.

Originally Posted by Dadelius

Sardent, are you saying that for each download or sale, it prints a unique serial number in each book?

If so, do you remember what it was called? I'm going to check in Google, but that sounds awesome, just about to launch an ebook next week, and would like to protect it as best I can.

Thanks for the tip!

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Dadelius

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Sardent

Sorry, I see so many sites when I'm looking around.
But it's out there. I don't remember what it's called but I saw it in use a couple of times.

It was part of one of those rebranding scripts.

Hope it's ok to post a link (let me know if it isn't and I'll edit my post)

I found this here, brands the book with the purchasers ip address so they are the only one's that can open it.

ebook protection dot com

It's $97

Not sure how it deals with people when they're ISP changes their ip, but I'm sure it has some provision built in.

Either way, very cool idea.

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JMB Marketing Group

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Sardent

Sorry, I see so many sites when I'm looking around.
But it's out there. I don't remember what it's called but I saw it in use a couple of times.

Yep. A unique license # for each one based on the purchasers name and any other info that was collected.

It was part of one of those rebranding scripts.

Sardent,

Yes, there are rebranding scripts, but you can only do so IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHTS TO RE-BRAND SOMEONE ELSE'S EBOOK.

However, I've never heard of the method that you've just described here.

Cheers,

JMB

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Sardent

14 years ago

So?

I guess I assume the original poster was the owner of the ebook they wanted to prove copyright on.

Originally Posted by JMB Marketing Group

Sardent,

Yes, there are rebranding scripts, but you can only do so IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHTS TO RE-BRAND SOMEONE ELSE'S EBOOK.

Big difference here in this case.

Cheers,

JMB

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JMB Marketing Group

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Sardent

So?

I guess I assume the original poster was the owner of the ebook they wanted to prove copyright on.

Crap, you're too quick for me. I did edit my post, as you can see.

However, yes, you're correct with this post of yours.

The OP "I believe" was the one who wanted to prove that he was the originator of the ebook and wanted/needed to prove it, in case people were copying and trying to pass it off as their own work. That's why I provided him with the resources to do his own due diligence with the information that I provided him with.

Cheers,

JMB

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Sardent

14 years ago

I saw one, I wish I could remember where, I'm pretty sure it was in an email link. A rebranding script that would change stuff for the purchaser while also recording and marking it with a unique license #.

I don't remember if it was the one named or not.

Originally Posted by JMB Marketing Group

Crap, you're too quick for me. I did edit my post, as you can see.

However, yes, you're correct with this post of yours.

The OP "I believe" was the one who wanted to prove that he was the originator of the ebook and wanted/needed to prove it. That's why I provided him with the resources to do his own due diligence with on the information that I provided him with.

Cheers,

JMB

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JMB Marketing Group

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Sardent

I saw one, I wish I could remember where, I'm pretty sure it was in an email link. A rebranding script that would change stuff for the purchaser while also recording and marking it with a unique license #.

I don't remember if it was the one named or not.

Sardent,

If you, really, really, really want, I can give you a re-branding script.

However, I am NOT responsible for YOUR actions

Cheers,

JMB

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mikemcmillan

14 years ago

You own the copyright to your book/ebook the moment it is created. What people usually mean when they say the copyrighted their publication is that they registered their copyright at the Copyright Office which is a part of the Library of Congress. It costs $35 if you do it electronically with form eCO.

Watermarking, licensing keys... all that stuff--it may help prevent people from downloading or sharing files, but they have nothing to do with copyright protection or registration. You don't have to register your copyright. If you do there are advantages. You can't file suit against someone for infringing on your copyright until you register it. And by registering your copyright it will make it easier to recover court costs and possible statutory damages against an infringer.

I'm not a lawyer. This isn't legal advice--just from my experience. --Mike

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JMB Marketing Group

14 years ago

Originally Posted by mikemcmillan

You own the copyright to your book/ebook the moment it is created. What people usually mean when they say the copyrighted their publication is that they registered their copyright at the Copyright Office which is a part of the Library of Congress. It costs $35 if you do it electronically with form eCO.

Watermarking, licensing keys... all that stuff--it may help prevent people from downloading or sharing files, but they have nothing to do with copyright protection or registration. You don't have to register your copyright. If you do there are advantages. You can't file suit against someone for infringing on your copyright until you register it. And by registering your copyright it will make it easier to recover court costs and possible statutory damages against an infringer.

I'm not a lawyer. This isn't legal advice--just from my experience. --Mike

AMEN!

That's what those links I provided said!

Cheers,

JMB

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unikk

14 years ago

to know who have share it .. make different copy and in each copy write one different word.. so there you can find who is sharing it

bye...

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JMB Marketing Group 14 years ago

Originally Posted by unikk

to know who have share it .. make different copy and in each copy write one different word.. so there you can find who is sharing it
bye...

HUH???? :confused:

A copyright is a copyright. PERIOD!

JMB
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How to prove copyright of ebook.

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