If your web site has any photographs, images, wording, or media that you want to protect from online predators here are some tips to find out if your rights are being infringed upon.  While you're developing a collection of content on your site, there's someone else trying to steal your ideas. Other web sites may steal your content simply by cutting & pasting--or they may use a technique called 'scraping' which is a much more sophisticated way of grabbing content and using it as their own.

Keep an eye out for these content theives...

1) You can search for your text:  Take a unique string of text from your content and using quotes around that text plug it into the search box on your search engine of choice.  If you find a listing that uses that exact string and it's on someone elses site, you are most likely a victim.

2) Use a page comparison site: Copyscape is a website specifically designed to help you find copies of your content online.

3) Search for Media:  Stolen media is harder to find than copies of your text.  If you use a lot of media content on your site, you're going to have to use some creative ways to prevent content thieves from stealing your content. Here is an example of protection -- http://www.artistscope.com/copysafe/index.html

4) Review your server logs:  The content thieves are notorious for pointing their links directly to the content on your servers.  This infringes on your copyrights but also puts strain on your servers, which are forced to serve up the content for someone elses site.  Your server logs help to find this kind of hijacking.

If you happen to find that someone has stolen your content you can:
 
--request from the website host that the content be removed
--or contact the content thieves themselves and it will usually clear things up immediately
--cease and desist letters can be found at www.plaiarismtoday.com

ARTICLE BY:
ANNA DALEA
OWNER OF ERT WEBSITE SOLUTIONS

 

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