Real Estate Blog - COPYRIGHT ENFORCEMENT REVISITED with AN INTERESTING ANGLE

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COPYRIGHT ENFORCEMENT REVISITED with AN INTERESTING ANGLE

My latest adventure in copyright protection enforcement has taken a very interesting turn. A local agent recently got caught with one of my maps on her web site. This is a local agent of a national company. The agent and her broker are presenting a new problem. While my map is no longer on their web site, Google has it indexed in "Images" with a link to the agent's web site. Google Images and images in general are a very popular search resource for consumers and every day that my map is sending visitors to a web site not my own is costing me traffic.

When alerted that one of my maps was on a web site belonging to one of his agents, his response was, "It's not my fault". Well, perhaps not, but it WAS his responsibility to monitor his agent's advertising. I was inclined to settle this one quickly because the agent and the broker put the onus on their web design company and she was quick to settle. But, since this broker wants to play hard ball and deny any "fault", the question now becomes, how do they get my map out of Google Images. My map is indexed in Google Images with a link to THEIR web site. They need to either get Google to remove my map with the link to their web site, or I want their web site DOWN. We'll see how that goes. I have settled with the web design company, but NOT with the broker who wanted to take NO responsibility.

It's a sad state of affairs that we have to spend the time and energy to protect Internet content. If content thieves who would prefer to plagiarize and steal images rather than put a few words together or hire someone do to it for them were as much of a malignancy in the hard copy publishing world as they are in cyberspace, enforcement of the laws would be much tougher because the publishers have the resources to protect their copyrights. It's very rare that we hear of plagairism or copyright violation in the hard copy publishing world, Jimmy Carter the memorable exception. His claim that "if it's on the Internet, it's O.K. to use it" is a riot.

I am convinced that if we pursue these skunks, they will begin to think twice about taking the easy road. However, in cyberspace, so many of us publish our own material and it's up to us to enforce our own copyrights and content. I pursue ALL copyright violators vigorouslyby demanding that they (1) remove my images from their web sites and (2) PAY DAMAGES. I suspect that if I decide to pursue content thieves, that would reveal some skunks in the wood pile too. This is a matter of time mangement. I have to determine the benefits of creating and publishing more content, updating web site, reading, writing and uploading to Active Rain and once in a while selling a home or making a referral to another broker/agent, OR spend valuable time chasing content thieves.

We often read about plagairizing articles on Active Rain, but no one ever publishes the articles and the original. I think we should publish them. Let everyone see the stolen content with the name of the person who published it. I have not published the names of copyright violators from my own web sites because there is usually an agreement that I don't do so in the release that I sign in exchange for THEIR MONEY. However, there is no such agreement with content thieves within Active Rain. Seems to me that exposing the content thieves would go a long way toward curing the problem. Of course, anyone caught publishing material that was earlier published by someone else should be banned from Active Rain forthwith, but prevention is easier and exposing the perps just may work. I have run into two of my maps used by Active Rain members and they were removed immediately upon notice by me. One, I wrote a blog about and the other got e-mail and my maps were removed IMMEDIATELY. However, if the usage had been on their web page on the Internet and not on an AR blog, it would have cost them money.

Kristal Kraft has a valuable blog today about tracking perps.

======= ADDED FOLLOWING MAUREEN'S COMMENT BELOW. Obviously, I need to read the Community Guidelines more often. ===========================

O.K. I understand that we are not to do any policing ourselves. So, we flag the article that is a duplicate OR a copyright violation and the AR gurus will take care of it.

The question, since it is still occurring, is - does that work??

You know, this may simply be a matter of numbers. There are 15,000 members with a lot of different folks publishing. There are bound to be folks that:

1. Don't know that copying and publishing stuff found on the Internet is illegal.
2. Don't care.
3. Think no one will notice.

I'm the very last person on the earth to tell someone how to do run their business. I am a member / guest on Active Rain and leave the policy and administration to the manager / owners.

I would simply ask that the membership know what is going on. As of today, I have NO KNOWLEDGE of any action taken against any member that publishes copyrighted material.

It is entirely possible that some very good contributors have been dissuaded from publishing THE GREAT AMERICAN BLOG for fear of having their content used by others in areas not to their liking.

Posted by Lenn Harley, Real Estate Broker, Maryland & Virginia on 03/08/2007 09:19 AM

Comments (65)

active rain, homefinders, lenn harley, realtor, copyright, plagiarism, activerain community support

65 Comments on COPYRIGHT ENFORCEMENT REVISITED with AN INTERESTING ANGLE

MAR

2007

Lenn wrote in part: We often read about plagairizing articles on Active Rain, but no one ever publishes the articles and the original. I think we should publish them. Let everyone see the stolen content with the name of the person who published it."

And

"Seems to me that exposing the content thieves would go a long way toward curing the problem. Of course, anyone caught publishing material that was earlier published by someone else should be banned from Active Rain forthwith, but prevention is easier and exposing the perps just may work.

In the Community Guidelines Jonathan wrote " If you find content on ActiveRain that you believe violates the intention of our Community Guidelines please flag it for our review. If the content does not have a flag feature available, please contact support with the details of the violation. Please do not attempt to correct or discipline another ActiveRain member directly! "

I know of examples on Active Rain where Blanca and Kristal had someone plagiarize their original Active Rain content on Active Rain. That was long before Jonathan came back to be the AR sheriff to deal with the desperado's here. Another Active Rainer had a blog about an Active Rain comment spammer and Jonathan asked the blog owner to take the links out of the blog because it was an "attempt to correct or discipline another ActiveRain member directly! " ... I think...that was Jonathan's reasoning.

I had provided in the comments on that blog some other links to some interesting things that these members seemed to be doing..which were contrary to the rules on AR. I asked Jonathan if I ought to delete my links and he said yes.

I know how frustrated some are by the people in their market who are plagiarizing Inman and getting points for it. I don't know that Active Rain will let us put "stocks" on the public green of the Active Rain community and put the perps in the stocks to change their evil ways.

The question about Google is very intriguing... Lots of great info here Lenn on sooooo many levels.

Edit- I finish my comment... I am on the way to flag this that it ought to be featured and there's the star. Great moderators.

WOW, you would certainly think that a web site designer would know better than to use a Google image. It's disappointing to think that the broker feels it's not his fault. He and the agent are just as responsible for material on their web sites as they are for an ad in the newspaper or a home magazine.

I feel for you, Lenn. That's a tough issue. And I would guess that would be the same for any content that is plagiarized and thus indexed for all to see in the future, How do you get the perp to remove it? Can they even do so? And with what search engines?

On AR I tend to agree with you, although perhaps not with the first offense. My feeling is they need to be sternly warned by the AR gods then, the offending post deleted, and their points subtracted. A second offense means deletion from the site, possibly. I think there needs to be more of a warning up front about not plagiarizing, perhaps with the intro email new members get, AND whenever you post and get the pop-up about copyright - there could be more info in that pop-up specifically about NOT using someone else's info and having to certify that the post IS original content. That way if not, there are stronger grounds for action since the individual was warned. I found 3 instances of exact copies of posts just yesterday while searching my own content to see if any had been copied. I hate the thought that I even have to do this.

Jeff

As information becomes more accessable, I think we will see a lot more Copyright issues dealing with the internet.

Wow, that's an angle I never even thought of, probably because I haven't created my own images yet. but it might happen. You're on the front lines Lenn. And we're behind you.

Lenn - Here in AZ - and I think nationally - the broker is responsible for the actions of the agent. Since I'm sure you have documentation of this issue - perhaps a complaint the to the department of real estate would be a good place to start - along with adding a clause in any future settlement that the offending website is either down or redirects to your site until the Google (and any other search engines) is righted.

Thanks for the comments ALL.

Maureen: Thanks for reminding me that there are guidelines. Sometimes I just assume that common sense will always prevail.

Elaine: That web master called me when she found out that I was pursuing damages for the use of my copyrighted map, she said she thought it was O.K. to use Google images. Uh huh!!

Jeff: Don't feel badly for me. This is a hobby for me. I have had so many agents steal my maps, my attorney and I have the "DAMAGE" control under control.

Dan: You are 100% correct. That is why we have to get the word out.

Elena: This is tricky because the broker refused to sign the RELEASE because he claimed it "wasn't his fault". So, he leaves himself wide open for further action.

Tony: You are right. Normally, the cash settlements of between $2,000 and $22,500 have been enough. But, this one is irksome because the broker refused to sign the release. He saw it as some kind of admission, which of course it IS. In the future, taking the web site down will be a part of any settlement.

I thought everyone knew not to mess with Lenn and her maps!! Seriously I think the problem is not just about an isolated incident.. . It's easier to copy what someone else has done then to create a work of your own.. I suspect that too many people believe that if it is on the web it is theirs to copy.. whether it is a map, an article, a drawing or photo

Lenn having been targeted by someone in my market who posted 4? entries ridiculing me and belittling my entries on Active Rain as cut and paste (they aren't) and not in 'the spirit of the rain" I can see Jonathan's reasoning... we could have war break out here if each person tries to enforce what is right on Active Rain. You'd think with plagiarism it would be pretty cut and dried and common sense though..

Lenn wrote: "We often read about plagairizing articles on Active Rain, but no one ever publishes the articles and the original. I think we should publish them. Let everyone see the stolen content with the name of the person who published it." Jonathan wrote:" If you find content on ActiveRain that you believe violates the intention of our Community Guidelines please flag it for our review. If the content does not have a flag feature available, please contact support with the details of the violation. Please do not attempt to correct or discipline another ActiveRain member directly! "

The individual in my market openly urged people to manipulate the points down on my blog... which they did. I don't need the points, I am so far out ahead but I can see from this one little example why Active Rain wants us to let them discipline not act like vigilantes.

Lenn ~ the problem never seems to go away. With respect to the geeks that run AR, they are very good about remedying the situation. In my instance the guy was not only copying my blogs, but sending out nasty emails to not just me but a bunch of people. It was outrageously funny. When he sobered up (my guess) he then wanted us to take stuff down and be friends. hahaha too late.

On the outside I have a no excuses policy. Seldom does an infringer take responsibility for their actions, it is always someone else's fault.

In real estate we know what the words, "vicariously liability" means. It applies to infringing copy too.

My blogs are not registered, but my photos and my websites are. Lenn and I know what that means. Most folks aren't aware of the statutory damages awarded to owners of copyrights. It makes commissions look cheap.

I have heard folks say it was "hypocritical" of me to go after an infringer. Sorry folks, no hypocrisy involved. I go after them head first, guns loaded. I make no excuses.

When you spend years of your life developing something, attend classes to learn more, go out of your way to spend every waking hour to enhance it and someone comes along and with a click of mouse steals it, is that right? No it isn't. They don't deserve my sympathy. They don't deserve anything but a big fat bill.

Last week Copyscape found 7 new cases of infringement. Brainless morons they are.

Maureen: Members trying to manipulate others' entries or points is sort of like a Grinch running around trying to stealing a kid's birthday presents. Some folks obviously take themselves a tad too seriously. You've been an Internet friend for years.

I understand Jonathan's reason and it's fine with me. I will, however post about Copyright from time to time because I've been involved in copyright enforcement of my maps for about 4 years now.

It's a hobby.

i will be interested in seeing how this all turns out

I love reading your hobby Lenn. I have learned a lot of what I understand about copyright laws from reading about it from you and then trying to do a little bit of research on it on my own. For awhile on RealTalk I did not pay much attention to it. I thought it was too complex and too dry to give much thought but then when I started blogging and just before I started paying a lot of attention there.

I love it when you write about it here, partly because there were a couple of very opinionated people on RealTalk who IMHO did not really add much to the conversation. I am not trying to emulate them or find fault with what you wrote.

I have an entry on copyright for Active Rain... I am not sure when I will post it. Needs some polishing.

Go Kristal. Yeee Haa! ! !

I'm a former professional photographer. The images a photoguy takes are his livelyhood. Yet people steal images all the time. With no thought that they are actually stealing. The most popular argument is that "it's my face so it's my picture." Well, no, it isn't.

Lenn so you are a budding artist too? ;)

Actually the gun is cute, but I prefer hired guns.

Lenn,

You could ask them to replace the page that Google links to with a redirect to your page.

Folks who do not understand that if you didn't write it, didn't snap the photo, didn't creat the image, don't own it and can't just "use it" must live in a cave with "Cave Beast".

Cave Beast

First, let me say that I am NOT the local person harassing Maureen.

Second are 2 questions for Lenn or Kristal:

I'm unclear on whether the Clip Art that came with MS Publisher or any other clip art or images that came loaded on my computer, my digital camera, etc. are considered copyright material, an thus, not usable in a blog. If I can't use them because they're copyrighted, then why do they include them?
Also, what is the opinion on all the funny photos or cartoons that get passed around through emails. There's never any reference to the 'originator'.

Dealing with the ?oogle databases are tricky and it is sometimes difficult to get things done, or in most cases, undone. Their software team is always very busy and usually cannot devote time to minor issues brought to their attention about particular search results. They do have some useful tools for URL removal however. For web pages, a web page URL can be removed from their index if the web page is deleted from the web server that was indexed. There is a URL Removal tool available on their site. There is a disclaimer though, they state that the URL will only be removed from their database for a period of six months. Whether the URL shows up or not after six months is unknown.

We typically advise clients to add META elements to web pages which govern the behaviors of visiting search engine spiders and robots. In particular, we found that it is best for businesses not to have their web pages archived. In some cases, having the older pages available to the public can cause issues. Especially, if there is financial content, pricing, or policy information on the web page. There are also META elements that prevent images from be indexed and stored in the ?oogle database. We recommend this as well. General rules can be applied to all search engines or can be applied for specific search engines such as ?oogle. In our experience we found it best to restrain ?oogle as much as possible. Our customer rankings have not shown any negative signs since we adopted this strategy almost two years ago. And, our client sites have remained in great standing with friendly search engines such as MSN and Ask.com, as well as ?oogle.

Thank you Lenn. i am constantly learning from your blog. I thought that I knew stuff when I joined Active Rain but have found out how little I actually know. In any event your post is extremely timely. On Active Rain in my area of Westchester County there is a gentlemen who is order to up his points copy and pasted two articles in their entirity from Realty Times and one article from another site. I guess maybe again I am learning because maybe I didn't follow the correct protocol. I emailed Active Rain to point this out to them. I also emailed this gentlemen who is relatively new to Active Rain and pointed out that the Guidelines are at the bottom of each page. On the first article from Realty Times when he copy and pasted he copy and pasted the "Copyright by Realty Times" on the bottom as well. I then went to their site and read their policy. Because if this if alright with them, they write better articles than I do, so I would use them too. But no it is not alright with them. This morning I got a response from this individual that he pays Realty Times and they are on his site and so he has express permission to cut and paste there articles on his blog. Now what?

This topic probably can not be repeated enough to get the message through. I was surprised to hear that photos one member took and uploaded to Localism had been copied and uploaded by someone else to the site. Just tweaked a bit. Good Luck on getting things turned around on your maps.

Thank you Lenn. I am constantly learning from your blog. I thought that I knew something when I joined Active Rain but have found out how little I actually know. In any event your post is extremely timely. On Active Rain in my area of Westchester County there is a gentlemen who in order to up his points copiedand pasted two articles in their entirity from Realty Times and one article from another site. I guess maybe again I am learning because maybe I didn't follow the correct protocol. I emailed Active Rain to point this out to them. I also emailed this gentleman who is relatively new to Active Rain and pointed out that the Guidelines are at the bottom of each page and that you shouldn't post copyrighted articles. On the first article from Realty Times when he copy and pasted he copied and pasted the "Copyright by Realty Times" on the bottom as well. I then went to their site and read their policy because if this if alright with them, since they write better articles than I do I would use them too. But no it is not alright with them. This morning I got a response from this individual that he pays Realty Times and they are on his site and so he has express permission to cut and paste their articles on his blog. Now what? I should let Active Rain deal with this?

Lenn---I'm a newbie at Active Rain so this may be a stupid question but when you say "my Google Map" what do you mean? How is it dif from any map someone would ask for?----If we drill down to our area and put the map on our site or something how do we know we are not using someone's map? I understand about content and pics but with maps it just seems to be the same roads on everyone's maps. I hate to be stupid but I really don't understand-------Thanks if you could help on this, I don't want to do something wrong.

Sandra Williams

Thanks for the comments folks. I appreciate your interest in this important subject.

Elaine: My understanding is that SOME clip-art can be used. Clip-art sites that offer some images for free usually have other lines of images that they will license you to use. You just have to read the pages and offerings carefully. The reason I have my own images is because I want them to convey a message from ME, not someone else. My maps carry roads, highways, water, points of interest that I want to show viewers on my web site. I've met buyers to take them on tours and they have my map in their folder of information. They print them off my web page and keep them.

Christian: I WANT Google to index my maps. I should NOT have to block my maps from the benefit of having them in Google Images. The thieves that steal them will pay for them, sooner or later.

Miriam: IMO, none of us know a small fraction of what is out there to learn. I constantly feel like I'm catching up. As to the Realty Times matter, if the author of an article gives you permission to put one of their articles on your web site with proper attribution, that is fine. It risks a penalty from Google for duplicate content so I wouldn't do it. However, just being a subscriber to Realty Times does NOT give a person the right to use the articles published on Realty Times. They can use a "snippet", with proper attribution, and then link to the article, But, just subscribing to Realty Times doesn't give anyone the right to use their content.

Cynthia: There are a LOT of photos and images on Localism that are "right clicked" from the Internet. I recognized a number of them and they are fairly easy to trace. But, with the numbers of folks posting photos to Localism, I would NOT expect management to be able to police it. Just too many photos, images, etc. Folks have to take personal responsibility for their own actions. That said, when I hear that someone didn't know that taking an image that you know you didn't create and using it was against Copyright Law, I simply do not believe them.

The kids that downloaded music were told that it was illegal and they did it anyway. Folks know that using images from someone else's web site is not permitted but they do it anyway. They just don't figure that they will be caught.

Terry: Great idea.

Sandra Williams: I never say "my Google map". I may say "my maps on Google", because Google has a lot of my copyrighted map indexed. If you go to Google, then Images, search for "maps montgomery county md", the result will show about 6 of my images. I'm not referring to Google Maps at all. I'm referring to my maps on Google. Go to Google and search in Google Images for "map howard county md", the five maps at the top of the page are mine.

If a home buyers wants to see maps of a particular area of interest and they go to Google Images and find one of my maps linked to another brokers web site, THAT means that broker is benefitting from traffic that should be going to MY web site.

This is a fascinating topic and so topical! Over time and with effort made to educate people things will improve, but in the music and film industry there are still copyright violations and those industries fight tooth and nail. It is certainly disheartening to see that people who are copying others work don't see that it is STEALING!

I applaud everyone, Lenn, Kristal et. al, who fights against copyright violations / thievery, we all must support their efforts and make efforts ourselves when someone steals from us. Because stealing doesn't stop until the cost of stealing outweighs the "benefits".

Lenn, I wasn't referring to the clip art available on the internet. I used to subscribe to Animation Factory for that reason. The clip art I was questioning is what comes with Microsoft programs, such as Publisher, and the other images that loaded when I set-up my digital camera. All those images loaded onto my computer via the program's CD.

Regarding the Realty Times thing, my web site is a template from homeseekers.com. Although I don't use it, there is a box that I could check to have the Realty Times newsletter appear on my site. It's been that way since I subscribed to Homeseekers back in '99. So that 'gentleman' probably does have permission to have the RT newsletter on his site, but I don't thing he should construe that to mean he has permission to use the material beyond that.

Lenn, yes I understand that just subscribing to Realty Times doesn't give anyone the right to cut and past articles. My question was more was does this individual become informed that that is the case. Does Active Rain handle his education, do I send him another email explaining this? What is the correct protocol for informing this individual that he is incorrect.

Great Post Lenn, my husband had done work and one of the men took photos of it, and put it on his website, like his new company had created it! We are still outraged by it. This was a young man that we though respected my husband. Apparently, money and power are first and foremost in his world. His new website does feature work performed by my husband and Son, so, in my mind, how reputable is this person that would lie and commit fraud. Yes, attorneys are on it, but just the idea that someone would be so hurtful and deceiving is hard to comprehend. Likewise, with the individual who did this to you, how trustworthy is that person? How far will they go to promote themselves as a lie? You are the better person, remember that! I always remember the golden rule, do onto others as you would have them do onto you, it always comes back!

I am wondering when more swift and decisive judgement will happen in this network for plagiarism....

Active Rain is a GREAT network...but sadly their police force needs MORE deputies....

Am I sounding like a politician...trying to raise taxes for a police force...uhoh.....

=-)

Lenn, you get em girl. Hard to believe that this continues to be an ongoing issue. Good thing you have that Attorney on-call. Didn't' realize that we have such a huge issue here in the Rain with people stealing. WOW. I guess it takes all kinds. Good luck with that Broker...let us know how it turns out.

I recently discovered that a blog post from my Active Rain blog was copy and pasted (in entirety) into a web page on another website. The individual added around 100 web links under my content and claimed that he/she was the author of the content. It is obvious why this person did not ask for permission to publish my writing. They were trying to get the attention of search engines via outgoing links and they were using my writing as some sort of context for the web page.

I quickly responded by calling the owner of the web site and left them a brief message to return my call. I then called the web hosting company of the web site and verbally reported the copyright violation on one of their new customer's web sites. They sent me a Copyright Violation form to fill out and return to them.

I also sent a message to the Active Rain administrators to inform them of the "theft". And also pointed out the URL of the thief's web site.

After a few days, I was planning to fill out the Copyright Violation form and send to the web hosting company and visited the offending web site. The web page was not available and there was a general message that this site was under major construction.

Federal copyright registration with the U.S. Library of Congress only costs around forty bucks and is good for ten years. It may be a good idea, if you are writing original, "valuable" content in a blog, to register the blog content on a yearly basis. If the need ever arises to actually go to court, the only way to prove copyright ownership is with the LoC registration document. Good luck!

Hi Elaine. I'm not sure about the "clip-art" that comes with software. I believe that if the general use of those images is permitted, that information is probably in the literature someplace. If the images that automatically load when the software is loaded, one would think that they are there for one of two purposes, to promote the product, in which case that wouldn't convey permission to use. Or, they provide clip-art for use by users and a license or limited use license must convey with the purchase. It's got to be in the instructions.

I'm not much for reading instructions so I can't help.

With respect to Realty Times, their articles are copyrighted by the authors and if one subscribed to their publication, I don't beleive the articles or publication goes on a subscriber's web site. A subscription provides a link to their publication and unless someone copies it, it may look like the content is on the subscriber's web site, but it isn't. It may be framed or linked, but it isn't ON the subscriber's web site or server. I'm still deleting links to Realty Times three years after stopping the subscription. I ran into one on an old site yesterday. It didn't go anywhere because the subscription was dead, but the link was still on that old web site.

Dang. Got to get those old web sites cleaned up.

Miriam: I wouldn't worry about Realty Times. They can take care of themselves. Or, the writer of an article that the gentleman is copying can clearly demand damages for copyright violation.

I don't worry about others' copyrights. I have enough fun enforcing my own.

Color me stupid. I had no idea that maps could be such a big deal. As far as I knew, maps are the next best thing to public domain. I used to be an Engineering Writer for a major aerospace company. My greatest compliment was when the Engineering Group took my description of how a piece of equipment that they developed worked and claimed it as their own. My boss knew who wrote the original. We had a good laugh. I guess that I just thought of maps as simple things and not intellectual property. My bad. Good thing I haven't blogged yet. I might have gotten something wrong.

Frances: It isn't clear just what the folks that took the photo are doing. If they took a photo of something, as long as they were on public property, they own the photo. If they were on your property, they would need permission to take a photo. It's obscure just what is is they are doing except using a photo of something to sell something.

If the map on your site is the one in question - another reason I wouldn't have thought anything about it is that I don't see the copyright symbol on the map.

Roger. You might want to "think about it".

Copyright conveys immediately upon creation of a writing, a piece of art or, in my case a map. The copyright notice is in the footer of all of my web sites. It doesn't have to be on every individual image. Sometimes, there is a copyright warning at the bottom of the Google page. I don't know why it's not always there. Having the copyright symbal on a lot of my images would simply muck them up. I don't have to do that. The burden is on the thief to not go from door to door and if they find a door open, just go in and take what they wish because the door was open.

But, it doesn't matter. Where would anyone get the idea that images of maps on the Internet are free to use? Without something on the page that says "THESE IMAGES ARE FREE TO USE", why would someone think that they are??

This argument cost one map thief about $12,500.

Roger. The maps that I have on my web sites are graphic images that display roads, highways, sometimes schools, water ways, points of interest. Lots of stuff that I put on to help folks who are interested in real estate in the area.

For instance, my map for Olney, MD is full of points of interest for Olney.

Map Olney Maryland

This is NOT the usual map found on map sites, Google or any other page. these maps are specifically designed to promote my business. If another agent puts this map on their web page, it will get indexed by Google and available to viewers with a link to their web site and not mine. OR, if they put it on their web site, they are clearly benefitting from my MAP to create traffic or inquiries for their services.

THAT is why I pursue every single one. Sure the perps use the usual excuses. But, that doesn't make it right. Even if they didn't know, they could have contacted me to ask. I have given limited permission to non-profits to use my maps. Not competitors.

ok here goes another dumb question. But I guess that's how we learn. How in the world do you check to see if any copies of your posts have been made. After all with so many members to check them all would take more time than most of us have. Educate me! :)

That is a cool map! So what you are saying is that you either generate the map yourself of pay someone to develop one for you. Good idea! Thanks for sharing. And, yes, it does make sense to me now; why should you spend your time and or money just so a competitor can benefit? Do you have to copyright your material to keep it proprietary?

Roberta. You are right. I don't. The AR guys probably have a system of tracking abusers but it's time consuming and they have better things to do, IMO.

I don't get exercised over a limited amount of content lifted. I've tracked my stuff on Google from time to time, but unless they take images, I don't have the motivation to track that. I have approximately 4000 pages on line or more and unless I subscribe to Copyscape or something, I don't do much.

Images are different. They are easier to track, easy to identify and easy to copyright. As for posts on Active Rain or Google, I always assumed that they might be copied.

ROGER:

Anything that I create is automatically copyright protected the moment that I created it. No. You do NOT have to file for and get a copyright certificate to have that protection. What the copyright certificate provides is statutory damages, which start at $750. I have about 43 copyright certificates on various maps. SEE: http://activerain.com/blogsview/35741/MAPS-CAN-T-BE There is a copy of a certificate there.

Some folks have some weird idea that maps can't be copyrighted. Wrong.

Lenn,

That's the beauty of AR. I never had any Idea about a lot of stuff until joining the AR community. I just came from a major brand name office. None of the agents had to even consider this as no one ever seemed to do and of this creative stuff. Everything we got came from corporate. This is a whole new world for me. I'm glad that I can get the info before doing anything wrong. Fines are not as important to me as doing what is right is. I really appreciate the time you have spent educating me on this matter. It seems the more I learn the more I realize just how much more there is to learn. Thank you.

Lenn,

I didn't mean that to be flip. I was wondering if anyone knew. I thought I might try to check my own, but I don't know how to go about it. :) Thanks for tahe response.

Roberta: Search Active Rain Blogs for blogs on Copyscape...Copyscape will show you who has copied your stuff. I know it's been blogged about here a few times anyway.

Not a problem Roberta. I just don't have the time to monitor my blogs or those of anyone else. Images are easy to monitor.

You can also do a google search of a long phrase in your material. People are unlikely to "accidentally" use 2 sentences word for word from your blog or website.

My husband had a college professor that required all term papers to be turned in on disk. She then cross checked the word document with papers from the last 10-15 years. She would catch a plagiarist every couple of years and give them an "F" on their paper.

When my son recently had to do a poster on Brazil I made him do a sources cited for the pictures he used. He thought I was going overboard but I think it is a good idea to be upfront where he got the pictures from.

There are some maps in the public domain. Our local county has GIS maps on their website that are public domain. Google will actually let you use a plug-in to display maps on your website. They aren't as pretty as Lenn's but you do have permission to use them.

Rita

Lenn,

After seeing your map, I can better understand why you object....I thought it was just a typical map at first.

Lenn, How do you create your maps?

Much ado about nothing.

Roberta: Kristal Kraft had an excellent post on Copyscape and how to set it up. I had asked Rich J to repost it based on another discussion in a blog. If you act quickly, it was re-invented into a Featured Post today.

Elaine

Thank you very much. :)

MAR

2007

very nice map way to go in protecting it

Lenn that is amazing that a competing agent would steal you images. As if no one would notice.

RITA HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. My maps are "pretty". That is their purpose. They are not for navigation, just an overview of an area folks may have an interest in buyer a home. They are not meant to compete with Google maps or any thing else. They are images on a web site.

But, they are MINE and NOT offered for my competition to use on their web sites.

I had heard about your maps for a couple of years... I had clicked on your websites any number of times from your signature on RealTalk emails... so I had seen "the maps." I don't know why but when you started blogging here I realized how "pretty" they are... I can understand the attraction.

I still can't believe people (competitors) take them.

I can see why buyers especially out of town, transferees would be attracted.

RITA: It's a good idea to give attribution for photos used, but that isn't permission.
This is a hard concept for folks, especially students. Best to use public domain
photos. The problem is that rumors make folks believe that just being found on the
Internet makes images, photos, articles, etc. public domain. It doesn't.

Diane: You're right. They are decorative and meant to engage home buyers on my web site. They are also
valuable for Google Images for Internet synergy.

Jeff: They are simple graphics.

George W. Miller states: Much ado about nothing.
George is correct, until or unless you have something on your web site that someone wants, takes it and uses your content to compete with you.

Dilemmas dilemmas. Lots of issues touched upon here. My guess with the broker in question - he/she just doesn't think its a big deal. A lot of the education we receive in 'school' was designed before the internet existed (and before it became a medium for plagiarism/copywrite)
Kaushik Sirkar Actually, the law hasn't changes that much except that it applies to the Internet as well as hard copy publications. BTW, Kaushik, the word is
copyRIGHT. Which give the creator the RIGHT to use the property.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Elaine: Good source. Kristal is on top of this important matter.

Deja: Thanks Deja. To bad we have to.

Randy: You are right. The very technology that permitted the content thieves to "right click", also gives us the technology to track them down.

I can see why buyers especially out of town, transferees would be attracted.

Thanks Maureen. The maps are graphics that are an integral part of my Internet strategy. The give the viewer, home buyers, an overview of the area in which they are interested in buying a home. They add color to the text and they are indexed by Google, Yahoo with that web page URL.

Having Points of Interest on a colorful map is more inviting to a viewer than a plain list of places. I show golf clubs, lakes, national parks, etc. In some areas, I show school locations and proximity to surrounding counties.

These maps are valuable content and I am outraged when someone simply "takes" one of them and puts it on their web page like they had done the work.

Cool map Lenn.

Do you actually draw the roads or are you pulling the roads from yet another map?

Rob

We draw them.

For those in the Washington D.C. area.

There is an upcoming congressional forum which will focus on copyright and Internet issues. It is open to the public and hosted by the Progress & Freedom Foundation. The title of the seminar is:

What Goes Up Must Come Down: Copyright and Process in the Age of User-Posted Content

Details:

March 16, 2007, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Rayburn House Office Building, Room B340

Washington, D.C. 20515

URL: http://www.pff.org/events/upcomingevents/031607usercontentsites.asp

Good for you Lenn! Thanks for the post and the link to Kristal Kraft's blog.

It must be very annoying when someone steals your work, but oh so satisfying to catch them!

MAR

2007

"RITA: It's a good idea to give attribution for photos used, but that isn't permission.
This is a hard concept for folks, especially students. Best to use public domain
photos. The problem is that rumors make folks believe that just being found on the
Internet makes images, photos, articles, etc. public domain. It doesn't. "

Lenn,

These were public domain photos from online encyclopedias and government websites. I still felt it was important to site the sources for the photos as my son obviously had not traveled to Brazil to take them for himself.

This whole issue makes me wonder if I need to somehow mark all the photos I have been posting on here. I am posting them to write blogs on the local area but I don't want them all to end up on my competitor's websites!

Rita

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