Everyone who puts creative work on a website lives in fear that someone else will take it and use it.  Or should live in fear, because it is so common.  Some people think photos, text, stories, poems, drawings and so forth put on a website are free for the using on another site.  Some are just scofflaws and don’t give a rusty nail.  If you create that type of material and put it on a site—unless you created it for hire—it is protected by copyright.

 

What can you do when someone rips it off onto his or her site?  Just before the turn of the millennium, Congress added a somewhat useful procedure.  It is called the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Title 17, section 512, US Code (“DMCA”).  If done carefully, and it is a little tricky, this procedure can get the offending site taken off the Web, and very quickly.

 

The basic procedure is to give notice, in the form the law specifies, to the infringing site’s host or “online storage provider.”  To read more about the specifics, please click on http://www.negotiationpro.com/Articles.html and then click on "Infringers...Take Them Down."

 

BTW, sign up for my new Free e-newsletter The Chessboard, featuring tips on intelelctual property, contract law basics and negotiation skills and techniques.  Just write me at chessboard [at] NegotiationPro.com.

 

Thank you.

Phil

 
Post is included in group: Active Rain Newbies

1 Comments on Copyright infringers on the web? Take them Down!

JUN
02
2010
257,875 Points Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Phil, Great piece! Copyright act has real teeth when used.
8:59pm • #1


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Philip L. Marcus

Phil Marcus

Beaverton, OR

More about me…

Copyrigt and Trademark Law Center

Address: Beaverton, OR, 97006

Cell Phone: (410) 292-6989

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