Right now I’m kind of hurt and disillusioned. First of all, I really don’t think that what I have to say is that great that someone has to copy what I say for their own. Then I wonder if this is a classroom assignment and someone is getting credit for it. Part of me doesn’t even want to write any more. But I love blogging. I shouldn’t have to stop because there is someone out there doing this.
Someone in my PLN suggested that I blog about this situation. So here I am! I hope the sorry son-of-a-gun copies this one and posts it!
From now on, I plan to sign all of my posts with a signature. I don’t know if that will help but I will give it a try. If you have any other suggestions, please feel free to let me know.
Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).
Original image: 'And then, our train was robbed.'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98037056@N00/3412380199 by: Joe Philipson
14 comments:
That's TERRIBLE. I don't know how you can stop them, but my suggestion re the signature is not to have it at the end only, but to ALSO put it randomly INTO your post. I do that with all my good textbooks - name very neatly and small on page 9, 99 and 999 (if applicable) at the end of a paragraph where it won't be noticed. I also put it at the front of the book, because if someone sees it there they won't think I have it in there a second time. So put your signature at the end AND in amongst the post.
Good luck resolving it though.
Sorry to hear about this, but I guess it is bound to happen and this may not be the first time for such a thing in the cyber world.
I can understand your frustration and hurt.
How about if you link a few of their posts that are your to your blog and then we can comment on them that they read and look strangely identically to something we have read within your posts previously.
That would certainly let the cat out of the bag on the bloggers own site.
Please don't stop blogging as you have wonderful posts.
Unfortunately this is becoming more common. Scrapers like this site are harvesting the good works of others to drive more traffic to their own sites. You'll have a hard time tracking this one down as they used a proxy to register the domain.
http://www.networksolutions.com/whois-search/enzome.com
You could change your blogs CC licensing but unfortunately, like software and music piracy, it will do little to deter folks who are looking to capitalize.
On the flip side, I guess it speaks to the quality of your work that someone thinks it will attract traffic to their own site by claiming it as their own!
Keep up the great work!
John
That is strange, isn't it? I wonder if the motive is advertising or something. Geez. Good luck. If you can find a way to stop it, you should let us all know, too.
Kevin
This happens to me every month or two. I can lend you some advice about how to handle it. I've sent you an email with some steps to take.
Richard
I'm sorry to hear this. I can understand your frustration. I would be so peeved! On the up-side you have a strong Internet identity and online friends, who know your style and your writing - this person is keeping anonymous, so they're not stealing your identity or gaining personal recognition for your experiences. That doesn't make it acceptable of course. Hope you find a way to resolve it.
No advice as I've not idea how to "fix" the problem. I hope things turn out well.
That stinks. As much as I hate to say it you likely should not waste any energy over it. That scraper is not a real blog, it isn't a someone stealing your content it is a something, a "bot" that is using your content to gather hits. You could fight back, but mostly that will just frustrate you.
My blog posts are stolen frequently. Often by scrapers, more often by other blogger's steal either ideas and misrepresent them as their own or entire posts without linking. I use a few services to find the stolen posts, like Google Alert, FairShare and CopyGator; however I chose to only get upset when "real bloggers" steal content and even then I mostly just send a note asking to be cited. I try to consider it an opportunity to work on my dharma and lovingkindness practice.
http://brandon-hall.com/janetclarey/?p=1755
This happened to another blogger I follow Pat. And she got mixed reviews on whether or not it should be considered a compliment or theft.. A lot of discussion also on blogging being about sharing information. 32 comments in all, many with great perspectives and worth the time to read. I would feel violated. If you get in tocuh with them, and I would try, point them to the bottom of your blog that has a license that requires attribution. If they link to your original post, I suppose they are following the attribution. If you feel that strongly about your work, use a stronger, stricter license.
Go read about your license and rights by clicking the link at the bottom, which takes you to reader friendly explanations, but there is a link also to the legalize behind the CC License you ar eusing.
Consult a lawyer if you feel that strongly. I think Janet kind of let it go.
I hope you can post about the steps Richard is emailing you!
I found a site that says it will send the site owner an email. Ctowner is the site http://ctowner.com/
They can only do it if the site is self-hosted, and apparently the thieving one is, because I tried its url and it brought up an editor for me to write them an email. I would assume they will ignore a request to desist, but maybe a request with teeth like copyright law quotes?
Wishing you a positive resolution, Pat.
I hope things turn out well. This is the reason we have to educate people about the use of Internet and blogs.
I'm really sorry to hear this has happened. I will send an email to provide suggestions.
Interesting that all posts are closed to comments! I see that he/she even has your latest post dated 8 Jan on their blog.
Well done for alerting readers to it though. I think it's really important that the word is spread.
These are all excellent ideas. I must confess that I did stop blogging last spring, and it's affected my entire relationship with my PLN.
It was very demoralizing that every time I blogged about something, I would see it on another's blog. I chose not to fight it, but to drop out.
I now believe that was a mistake. If my work is stolen again, I'm going to make a side by side comparison table. I will also lay out the factual information related to dates, etc. I can't let my work be disrupted.
I really appreciated your comments on my Do You Lock Your Doors? post. I've implemented those suggestions.
After reading both your postings on this "blog robbery" topic, I plan to analyze and implement these new ideas and recommendations.
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