In yesterday’s post, I alluded to the fact that I’ve experienced more than just one copyright violation. I have, although the majority of the copyright violations I’ve experienced have been with sploggers (spam bloggers).
However, there was another copyright violation that’s a little more interesting, to me at any rate, than the scummy sploggers. It was a local news site. As in, a Sri Lankan news site. This site has blogs for some members, and one of those members had posted an article I’d written for Travel Sri Lanka magazine on the Colombo Museum in his blog.
Never mind that this article can be read elsewhere on the Internet and he could have provided a brief description and a link. Never mind that it was someone else’s content he was stealing. No, it had to be there so his readers could comment on it.
When I discovered this, I started searching for contact information for that site. Half an hour later I found something through a whois search – they had no contact information whatsoever on the site. And they didn’t respond. At all.
I gave them three days – it was on a Friday that I first noticed my content on their site – then I contacted their domain host, filed a DMCA complaint, and the host contacted them, requesting that they take my content off the site. Still they did not respond. Finally, the domain host took their site down. Keep in mind this is a fairly major site with a LOT of content. Think New York Times in Sri Lanka. 🙂 Only not as good of quality. 😀
The site had two choices at that point – either they could find a new host or they could remove my content. They removed my content. Then their site was restored.
In all of this, they did not once respond to me directly. For that matter, their only response was to their domain host after my content was removed to let them know the content was removed so their site could be put back up. Now, on that site where my content used to be, instead of my article on the Colombo Museum, it now reads, simply, “removed”.
Not even as much as an apology.
Knowing the way people here tend to think, I’d hazard a guess that, as far as they were concerned, they did absolutely nothing wrong. And that’ll be another post…
Wow! I am so glad that it got resolved. I am amazed, however at the lack of response. People just be plain rude, and that’s all it was. I’m not even going to suggest a “cultural difference,” because in any culture rude is rude, plain and simple. (I recently dealt with some similar rudeness, so this subject really speaks to me.)
I also bet that they never expected you (or any writer) to check or contact them…and it should make us all wonder, about that site, what else might be a (C) violation and how many of us are being “pirated” w/o attribution out there.
I’m glad to hear that this was resolved. Personally, with my experience in this area, I can say that the fact they never contacted you directly is far from surprising. It is pretty standard.
I’m glad that the domain host acted responsibly and did the right thing, eventually resulting in your content being removed. You handled the situation very well and I have to say that it serves as a model for others struggling with this issue.
Though I doubt there will be, if there is anything that I can do to help, please let me know. My services are always at your disposal…
Congrats again on the resolution!
Erika, the thing is, though, that there actually is a fairly huge cultural component to it for Sri Lanka. I talk about it in my post for 29 June 2008, so check that out. 🙂
Caroline, it happens all the time. I couldn’t count on all my fingers and toes the number of times I’ve found my content on other people’s websites. It’s common, very very common. And it sucks.
Hey, Johnathan! Fancy seeing you here! Actually, it’s your wonderful site that taught me a lot about what to do to resolve such situations. Plagiarism Today is a wonderful repository of useful information to fight stolen content. Thanks for visiting and thanks for the offer. I’ll let you know if the occasion should arise where I need your help. Meanwhile, thanks so much for passing on your wisdom and for helping the lot of us. 🙂
Ooooo that’s so funky of them. I never thought about anyone taking my words. Wow! And to think that it’s a reputable company. No, that stanks!