A SOLDIER IN THE COPYRIGHT BATTLE

The fact that this is wrong and that monetary penalties come with it needs to be broadcast.  Many agents really don't get "it", and seem to think that they can copy anything at all and put it on their site or cover it in their materials.  Getting the word out and actively pursuing these people will benefit us all.  Thank you for the work you do!

Lenn's situation looks black and white to me. Someone is stealing right off her website and they're competitors no less.

But the internet has created gray areas. Google is being sued for copyright infringement by the Authors Guild, Writers, Major Publishing companies from all over the world. Google is using the "fair use" defense.

Napster practically killed the music industry and they fought and fought until Napster was taken down. Disney has sued elementary schools for painting Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck in their playgrounds.

Copyright is such a hot issue on the internet I find it very surprising that so many brokers are giving away the store by giving their listings so freely to third party websites that desperately need content then use that content to try to sell leads back to us. Are exclusive listings copyright property of the broker and seller? Content is still King. I think content trumps technology.

Mitchell...That was an excellent comment...FAIR USE...Interesting phrase...TLW...ROAR!

Lenn you aren't alone in the fight.  Thanks for the mention.  It's really sad to see how many agents think they are entitled to steal others work.  I've had several people even steal my very own children!  (pictures that is!).  What cracks me up is when they blame it on their "web designer."  It's usually obvious they don't have a web designer, basically because their sites suck!

Stealing bandwidth, also cracks me up.  I've got a competitor who stole my maps and a lot of other content.  I made him remove it, but it forgot to remove one little tiny graphic element.  This is still on his page.  I don't want him to remove it, because I am tracking his activity...hahahaha

TLW..."The Lovely Wife... Thanks.. Google is saying these books are in libraries so they can index the entire content and put it in search. The Authors are saying the books are in limited Libraries. Google also wants every film and video indexed.

Lenn: BTW: I love your maps. I am into maps also. I'm working on creating an interactive neighborhood map with icons of apartment buildings with links to the buildings and the listings.

Mitchell...Calling'em as I see 'em...Good info. Would like to be kept up to speed on that, the Authors need to win that case...You should put up a post about this...Or has it been done before? Send me a contact if you post it. If you don't post it someone else will. Why? Because I have just thrown out a post idea...Snag it buddy...TLW...ROAR!

The Lovely Wife... I have read about it but I don't think on activerain. Thanks for the idea. I have three ideas in my head right now. Everytime I start to write, I end up reading every one elses posts.

It is a great post idea. I'll keep you posted.  ROAR!

OK, I guess I will be the OTHER side of the coin. Lenn, it is my opinion that peolpe can either be RIGHT or be HAPPY but rarely both. The best, sweetest, and longest lasting revenge, again, these are my opinions, is success! What if you took that $2,000-$3,000 per month you say you are spending per month to destroy the blasphemers and use it to market for more business? I assume with your steadfastness in your attack that you have the ability to throw out that kind of money on a consistent basis but, is it really making you happy? When you look back, how much does it help you to obliterate someone else that copied your map if it takes you years of your life and tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars? I am sure your lawyer appreciates you sending his kids through college but I just don't see this as the best use of your time and money. I realize it is not my place to tell you what to do, but, I have seen a lot of people in my life spend their life proving to everyone else that they were right, when, in the big picture, choosing to be happy and successful is so much less stress and beneficial. I hope you don't take too much offense to my comments and I also hope you determine what you wish to accomplish, and accomplish it. You do very good work with maps and it IS a shame someone takes them without your permission

I am glad you made out, I certainly do not have any sympathies to copyright violators, I don't condone that at all, but, hey, if battling copyright infringers has made you money and helps your stress, good for you! I guess I assumed from the article that you had been pursuing them for a long time to no avail, that will teach me to assume

Lenn, quite the post. Got everyone's attention. Good job. When I was reading your post and the comments I got to thinking and wondered how in the world you ever found the people that steal your stuff?  You are really incredible. I can hardly find the time to just keep my stuff going much less check everywhere for these copyright infringers. But, maybe no one wants to steal my stuff. I don't have gorgeous maps like you do.

Lenn, As you well know...I am never ceased to be amazed by you. Such knowledge and stamina the likes most of us have never known...you are terrific!

I know there is a way to protect the ability to copy for the web sites but most of the companies that build the site wont set it up that way. That would be the best protection.

One tip on photos and maps (which unfortunately I am right now trying to figure out, so somebody please save me the time and tell me how to easily do it) - watermark all of them.  You can't do it to content, but to graphics, put your logo/name on all of them, including the copyright sign.  Even if your competitors use them, they'll be advertising for you, plus they will have no defense if you have to pursue them legally, because their own pirated content will prove where they got it. 

Again, someone please inform me how to easily watermark and we'll all benefit from the idea.  Another even better technology (which I'm even farther from understanding how to implement) prevents people from right clicking and denies that request - it's somehow coded into the site's html to recognize someone doing that and disallow it.  Again, does anyone know how to do that?

Gabriel. you can add code to prevent novices from right clicking to "grab" a photo.  But for a person who knows how to "grab" your content, that will not prevent them from doing so.

There is a service you can subscribe to that puts a watermark on a photo and will trace who is downloading it.  What a kick when that happens.  Two minutes after the thief publishes your work you can have your attorney on the phone telling him to cease and desist.  That should scare the pants off them!

Gena ~ Lenn is amazing.  She is a trailblazer and a great leader to follow.

Sorry Lenn for jumping in to answer your posts...this topic gets me up on arms!  As you well know!

Kristal, if you know how to code that or can point me towards someone that can - even if the more knowledgeable thieves can still get around it, I'll go with the 80/20 rule for now.  As for the watermark service, that's great - and if you can point me there as well I will be in touch with them immediately.  You can send me any information offline from this as well re: this topic if it's too long or involved to post in a reply here.  Thanks.

Re: your comment Lenn on the watermark, if you just want to spend your time chasing people with lawyers, that's a fine attitute to have, but if you want to help protect yourself from those you might not otherwise catch, it's a powerful deterrent and prevention is often the best medicine. 

You might get settlements from time to time but if you tally up your time spent, and the money on the lawyers, in time I wonder how "profitable" that will be.  I'd rather not have to get into it - and then be aggressive in pursuing the violators if I do have to even after that.  I doubt your business plan is about creating and suing about copyrighted material.  Personally, I'd rather just protect myself and not have to go through the hassles you did, though I'm glad you have broken that trail.

Lenn,

What you've done over the years to protect your copyrighted material is so important.  Trying to get away with stealing content is not an option. You are an authority on this.