Plaguerising on websites??

Twopints

isofa wrote: »

You may have to prove yours was up first, otherwise he could then turn the tables and say you copied his.

So looking for older versions would be a great idea.

If you want to prove a copyright date without registering, this is my MSE tip! Print the item out with your (c) notice, seal and post it to yourself, so it is franked/postdated with the date and don't open it when you receive it.

Then if you need to prove it under the law, you have an sealed dated version with your copyright.

I'm going to send myself an unsealed envelope - it may come in useful one day

buglawton

Also make sure he's not using your server bandwidth to supply
the images on his copied site

isofa

betterbargains4u wrote: »

Thanks for this...but can't quite see how it would work as the date on the letter would be later than when he plaguerised my site info.

Yes, it's no good now, but this is a good technique for the future!

Marty_J

isofa wrote: »

If you want to prove a copyright date without registering, this is my MSE tip! Print the item out with your (c) notice, seal and post it to yourself, so it is franked/postdated with the date and don't open it when you receive it.

Then if you need to prove it under the law, you have an sealed dated version with your copyright.

All this really does is prove that you sent yourself a copy on a certain date. The fact you sent yourself a copy on the 20th April doesn't mean that someone else wasn't using it first.

It might possibly help in a copyright-infringement case, but it certainly won't "prove it under the law".

superscaper

Marty_J wrote: »

All this really does is prove that you sent yourself a copy on a certain date. The fact you sent yourself a copy on the 20th April doesn't mean that someone else wasn't using it first.

It might possibly help in a copyright-infringement case, but it certainly won't "prove it under the law".

That's all we're bothered about isn't it? If you have a proof of earliest creation/use date that's earlier than anything the other party has (also important is any original works in progress related to the work as supporting evidence) then that's pretty much all the proof you need to support your case.

Marty_J

superscaper wrote: »

That's all we're bothered about isn't it? If you have a proof of earliest creation/use date that's earlier than anything the other party has (also important is any original works in progress related to the work as supporting evidence) then that's pretty much all the proof you need to support your case.

But in order to win an copyright case, you'd have to show that you were the original author, that it's an original idea, and that copying it don't constitute fair use. That you can show you had a copy of it before one other person doesn't prove any of this.

You could have copied it from someone else, in which case your breach of copyright claim would be rather specious to say the least.

The best thing to do would be to keep drafts, rough versions, etc. Remember what your maths teacher said: show your working out kids!

superscaper

Marty_J wrote: »

and that copying it don't constitute fair use.

There is no fair use clause AFAIK. There are only specified exemptions.

Plus we're not talking necessarily of criminal courts where there has to be all that absolute proof malarky, just what'd seem reasonably likely to a normal person. It'd be as much down to the defendant to prove they had a right to use the material.

olly300

OP has any search engine like google cached or archived your site?

If so check whether it was before the date that you claim your competitor copied your site and print the entire screen out asap with the dates on it.

olly300

I was doing a search and found this useful tool:
http://www.copyscape.com/

You put in your website URL and it finds the sites that have copied it. You can also put a banner on your webpages warning people that you checking for plagiarism. There is a paid for service http://www.copyscape.com/signup.php?o=a which monitors this for you.

Strangely enough someone was copying my new blog.

betterbargains4u

Many thanks for all of your helpful suggestions.
There are some really useful links that you guys have provided me with and I will be taking action against him, if he doesn't make substantial changes to his website.
I even found out today that he has copied all of my links from my links page

(stupid man...they all link back to me!!:rotfl: )