This morning I made a move to enforce my intellectual property rights after users at wrongplanet.net have been copying and pasting entire paragraphs of content from AspieWeb.net onto their forums. Wrongplanet’s owner Alex Plank, and their host iNetU Managed Hosting were served with DCMA Takedown Requests today.
What is a DCMA Takedown Request?
A Digital Millennium Copyright Act Takedown request is how intellectual property owners enforce their rights in regards to copyright violations. It is a legal notice that requires the offending material be removed within 24 hours of the delivery of the notice. Failure to remove the content results in the content providers forfeiture of the Act’s immunity from monetary damages, which range from $750 to $30,000 per work infringed and up to $150,000 per work for willful infringement. Attorney’s fees and costs can also be recovered.
Why are you doing this?
Copyright law in the United States requires the intellectual property owners enforce their property equally or they loose control of their intellectual property. While I do not see Wrongplanet.net as an enemy I feel the need to equally enforce my intellectual property rights to prevent more damaging breaches of my intellectual property.
What about Fair Use?
Fair use laws do not apply here as the copied content contains the most important details of a post, resulting in the loss of value of the post.
Can I See A Copy of The Takedown Request?
Adobe PDF Versions of the requests:
What Does Wrongplanet have to saY?
‘this guy is actually gleeful he is going to endanger WP for all of the rest of us!’ is what one of the wrongplanet staff said in a statement. I would like to point out that I would not have had to go this far if the offending posts were simply removed as requested. I am in no way endangering wrongplanet, the staff of wrongplanet however are.
Your an <explicative here>!
Your welcome to think that, however I as a property owner must enforce my rights to my property.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I understand the thing about copyright, but are you not too hard for others now? You might know that ignorance is one of the things familiar with Autism. Copying things published on the internet is a common thing on the internet I guess.
I do think WP is a great platform for Aspie’s and I admire the work of Alex so far what he has done for WP.
Sorry, I do not want to offend you, but this is not a way to make friends I guess, Z.
Once again I understand your statement, but is it really necessary to take this kind of action? I am sure this migt be solved in another, friendly way if you want.
All the best,
Aspie Bird.
@Aspie Bird: How would you recommend handling this then? I’m handling it the legal and proper way – I don’t see any other manner of handling it.
“You might know that ignorance is one of the things familiar with Autism.”
What’s your point? They can’t help but ignore the rules against plagiarism because they’re too autistic to know better?
I know from experience that WP won’t simply remove other people’s material when requested. In my case it wasn’t “entire paragraphs” it was my entire website, over 200 different webpages, many of them many pages long. Mr. Plank saw “nothing morally or ethically wrong with this”. In the end, after a long and stressful fight, he removed it. I hope your “legal & proper” way works out well for you in a much shorter period of time and less stressful way.
Personally I understand your aversion to him copying and posting YOUR insights as his own. However one of the biggest issues we fight is ignorance. Especially when in reference to Autism. Some of your insights can be extremely helpful.. and who cares WHERE it’s read .. on another persons site or on a bathroom stall.. as long as the word is out.. ya know? However, my advice to you would be.. if it comes down to talking terms with this man.. demand that he give you journalistic type credit for what you write. Letting everyone know that this paragraph was taken from.. etc..
Then the word is still being passed on, but he is not taking credit for your hard work..
Could this work?
Good luck to you. and I hope you come to a satisfying agreement.
I have to admit I’ve had problems with libelous material posted on with WP – I got a very slow response to my complaint and it was necessary to explain clearly to every single member of staff, that I was prepared to take the matter straight to the Police or Courts.
That is a great work done! You have all the rights, and you should preserve your copyrights. There is a lot of content theft going on the web these days. There will be some slow down to this only if we authors are aware, keep strong enough, and act to preserve our rights.
ciao!