How to Handle Plagiarism, Content Theft Online
Stopping Plagiarism, Copyright Infringement by a Website or Blog
Dec 13, 2008
Writing on the web has many advantages. Writers can make money blogging or writing on the web, while aspiring professional writers can gain exposure and experience. But online publishing also has its disadvantages.
What Happens if a Blogger or Website Steals Your Writing?
It's not uncommon for a web writer's copyrighted web content to be posted on a website or blog without permission. Sometimes, the mistake is an honest one, made by a blogger or website creator who is not knowledgeable about what constitutes plagiarism, content theft or copyright infringement.
In other cases, the blogger (also known as a "splogger") or website creator is not well intentioned, with the person knowingly stealing and plagiarizing copyrighted keyword-rich content to gain page views and revenue for their blog or website.
Whatever the intention, plagiarism, content theft and copyright infringement is a rampant problem on the internet. And although it's easy to detect cases of content theft and plagiarism, many web writers aren't quite sure what to do once they've discovered a case of copyright infringement or plagiarism. Keep reading to learn what steps to take when a case of plagiarism or content theft is found.
Contact the Webmaster or Blogger Regarding the Copyright Infringement
The first step involves sending a non-threatening yet firm e-mail to the blogger or website webmaster. Remember, not all cases of plagiarism, copyright infringement or content theft involve malicious intent, so keep this in mind when writing a note. Writers should explain that their copyrighted material was re-published without permission and kindly request the removal of the plagiarized writing by a specific date.
In cases where an honest mistake has been made, the plagiarized material will typically be removed fairly quickly, often with a note of apology offered. In cases where the intent is to steal a writer's content, the note will be ignored.
Send a Cease and Desist Letter
When a friendly yet firm email or blog comment does not do the trick, the next step is a cease and desist letter; an official order to remove the stolen content. Sample cease and desist letters are available online and from attorneys specializing in copyright infringement.
If a contact e-mail address is nowhere to be found on the website, plagiarism victims can find the webmaster's contact information, including name, phone number, address and e-mail address on a domain registration look-up website, like Network Solutions' WHOIS.
For bloggers who have stolen content and published copyrighted material without permission, post the cease and desist letter in the comment section or search the blog for a contact e-mail.
Filing a DMCA Complaint or Contacting the Website Hosting Company
If a cease and desist letter goes ignored, the next step involves contacting the website host (in the case of websites and some blogs) and/or filing a DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) complaint, which can be sent to the blog host company or to the various search engines. Sending a DMCA complaint to the search engines will lead to the unauthorized site being removed from search engine results.
The website host for a particular website domain can be found by searching a domain registration look-up website like WHOIS. Victims of copyright infringement can contact the website host (i.e. GoDaddy.com) to arrange for the removal of their copyrighted material from the offending website.
For blogs on networks like Blogger or HubPages, or on forums like Yahoo! Answers, a DMCA complaint must be filled out, signed and submitted by fax or mail. It typically takes several weeks from the time the DMCA complaint is submitted to the time when the plagiarized material is removed from the offending website or blog.
Other Help for Plagiarism, Web Content Theft or Copyright Infringement Victims
An attorney can be very helpful when it comes to assisting a writer whose work has been plagiarized or published on the web without permission. Many websites that hire web writers, like Suite101, will also offer assistance and guidance when their writers are targeted by sploggers or content thieves.
Before a freelance web writer can chase down bloggers and websites that plagiarize, steal content and infringe on copyrights, the writer must find out if their work has been posted on the web without their permission. For more information on how to discover and monitor articles on the web for content theft and plagiarism, check out How to Stop Plagiarism and Content Theft on the Web.
Visit the Resources for Writers Page for additional tips on How to Use AdWords to Maximize Web Writing Revenues, and other tips like how to write for the web.
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