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Plucking Blogs off Active Rain

By Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker

Real Estate Agent with Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker DRE #00697006

March 13, 2008 01:32 AM

internet thief On the topic of crooks, I have noticed that certain Web sites, one of which is realestatepick.com, has been swiping blogs from Active Rain and posting them online. They do this because they receive revenue from selling advertising on their site.

For some reason, the pictures are not transferring, but some of the alternate titles are, which is how I figured out where they got the blogs. They just copy and paste. Of course, I track links to my About.com site on Technorati, which is how I find some of these. If you don't insert links in your blogs, you won't find the crooks through Technorati. But you could find them through Google Alerts or copyscape.com.

At the moment, I'm not registering a formal complaint with the perpetrators because they are driving page views for me on About.com, and they haven't stolen work from there, which is copyrighted by The New York Times and which I am obligated to report to its legal department. But some of you would most likely have other reasons to protect your copyrighted work. Especially since Active Rain seems to be targeted for this type of scam.

I can hardly wait for realestatepick.com to swipe this blog! LOL.

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JDo Doe

Barrington, RI

thanks for the information, Elizabeth, good to know and I will start doing some snooping as well.

Mar 13, 2008 01:37 AM

Jill Wente

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate | Gary Greene - Spring, TX

Realtor, CRS, MCNE, CHMS

I just don't understand why people have to be so lazy. Just write your own content.

Mar 13, 2008 06:18 AM

Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker

Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA

Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Nathan: Let me know what you find.

Jill: I don't know if it's laziness so much as stupidity and not being able to write. Not everybody can write. Well, that is evident by looking at a list of some of our best sellers, ha, ha.

Mar 13, 2008 01:31 PM

Jesse Clifton

Jesse Clifton & Associates - Fairbanks, AK

Business must be blazing in Sacramento.... I've missed seeing your blog rise to the top of my subscription list every day! :)

As for the blog stealing... they do it because, as you say, they can make money by doing it. We can shut that one down and tomorrow another one will pop up in its place. It's very frustrating.

Mar 13, 2008 10:33 PM

Bill Gassett

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA

Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

Thats interesting Elizabeth I a curious why someone else has not noticed yet.

Mar 14, 2008 12:40 AM

Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker

Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA

Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Business IS blazing in Sacramento, Jesse & Kathy. I've barely had time to breathe. Investors are crawling all over the hot listings, deals are everywhere. Additionally, I have to deal with writing three articles a week, plus a newsletter, and I'm trying to paint my back-yard deck. LOL.

Bill: I suspect most bloggers don't notice their blogs are stolen because they don't set up alerts or check for them. But Active Rain is a hot bed for thieves.

Mar 14, 2008 05:13 AM

Gary Woltal

Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX

Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Plagiarism is plagiarism, and what can you say? It is stealing. Elizabeth, thanks for letting us all know this.

Mar 14, 2008 05:15 AM

Natalie Langford

Realty Negotiations - Winchester, VA

Winchester, VA Real Estate

Thanks for the heads up, Elizabeth. I'm not sure I'd know what type of Google alert to set up to catch people copying my posts.

Your life makes my life seem a little simple, and I have 4 kids! :>)

Mar 14, 2008 01:07 PM

Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker

Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA

Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Gary: Some people don't mind link farms or plagiarizers as long as they link to them, but you're right, stealing is stealing.

Natalie: Oh, I couldn't do half of what I do if I had kids. I imagine your life is far more complicated than mine. :)

If anybody is wondering how you report these people, first know that Google doesn't rule the web, although it may appear that way. But you can report sites on which Google advertises -- it's a pain, which is why most people don't do it. Here is what you need to do:

1. Identify in sufficient detail the copyrighted work that you believe has been infringed upon. For example, "The copyrighted work at issue is the text that appears on http://www.legal.com/legal_page.html."

2. Identify the material that you claim is infringing upon the copyrighted work listed in item #1 above. You must identify each page that allegedly contains infringing material by providing its URL.

3. Provide information reasonably sufficient to permit Google to contact you (email address is preferred).

4. Include the following statement: "I have a good faith belief that use of the copyrighted materials described above on the allegedly infringing webpages is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law."

5. Include the following statement: "I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed."

6. Sign the paper.

7. Send the written communication to the following address:

Google, Inc.
Attn: AdSense Support, DMCA complaints
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View CA 94043

OR Fax to:

(650) 618-8507, Attn: AdSense Support, DMCA complaints