While it was a great diversion from the other frustrations in my life, I have to admit that I behaved rather badly in this matter of dealing with content scrapers. After reading “What to Do When Someone Steals Your Content,” by Lorelle on WordPress.com, I’m ashamed of myself.
I read most of the article before I realized that I simply don’t have time do those things right now. (And it will take several readings and some note-taking to get all the action steps lined out.) Until I get settled in Phoenix, go through all the information and do everything in a professional manner – which is what I have thus far failed miserably at – I am going to have to accept that I can only do the bare minimum to deal with the content thieves right now and simply endure my indignation and wounded pride.
That’s just the way it is. I can sally forth in defense of intellectual property rights in a month or two, and do so in an a more honorable manner, instead of being such a barbarian about it. Mea culpa. Sometimes I still act like there’s a fire on the other side of the door and I’ve got a halligan in my hands.
Time? Let’s see, I deal with an average of four copyright violations a week and spend, at most, 5 minutes a week dealing with them. Reading my article takes a while, but the process is very fast.
I keep a “template” example of a simple cease and desist form in my text editor and I copy and paste it into the blog’s comments or Contact page. Usually, that deals with it.
I also have a template letter, which I share in that article, you can copy and paste and customize for your needs and it takes a few minutes to do so, then print and mail it off if you only have a mailing address.
It’s really easy. By letting them continue to scrape and rip your content off, you give them permission to do so. You set a standard practice for allowing this to continue.
Good luck with whatever you do. I travel full time and have little time for nonsense, so this is the fast system I’ve set up and it’s just a few clicks.
Hang in there!
Thanks for the comment, Lorelle, and thanks very much for the informative, well-written article. Your blog is extremely helpful and educational.
You are absolutely right that letting them continue to scrape only encourages further such behavior. I can see where, once the system is set up, it would be a fairly fast and simple one to follow. I did discover this morning, however, that I have more than 60 of them to deal with, and counting. Yikes. They’ve been proliferating like wire coat-hangers in a dark closet.
In one particular instance, (there is, of course, no real email address available on the page) the “Associates” of the site are listed as “Alex, Donncha, Dougal…” Sound familiar? The links go to Alex King’s, Donncha O Caoimh’s, Dougal Gunter’s websites. There is nothing on the page or in the source that I can find to indicate the actual owners of the site. Grrr.
I’ve learned a lot so far, and do intend to apply your method at the first real opportunity. But I have hours more research and learning ahead of me at a time when I am moving to another city and juggling two freelance gigs. I will hang in there (thanks) and I will come back out swinging as soon as I can…professionally, of course. :-)