Forum Moderators: not2easy
How can I copyright my contents automatically? When it comes to duplicate or content stealing, how do I prove I am the original writer?
Thank you.
Not being an attorney I am not aware of the nuances of the law, but I have attended some seminars on copyright law and read guide on it from Nolo. Here are a few thoughts...
1. The very act of writing something unique automatically gives you a copyright, although enforcing it is another thing.
2. Clearly displaying the copyright mark may dissuade others from ripping off the content.
3. The only way I know to truly enforce your rights is to file a copyright petition with the U.S. copyright office, which costs about $30 bucks and you can include as much material as you want with each application, i.e. an entire stack of articles.
I don't know of any way to "automatically" copyright something that is also enforceable other than what I said above about a copyright being generated upon creation, but enforcement is difficult if not impossible without filing a legal copyright.
Fortune Hunter
On this page, Brett talk about becoming an ISP [webmasterworld.com]. He also provides the link to the copyright office: [copyright.gov...]
The fee used to be $30 as recently as June of 2006 when I filed. Unfortunately, the fee is now $80.
Unfortunately, the fee is now $80.
Inflation it hurts us all! Since this is the only way I know to legally protect your copyright I guess we will all be ponying up the new fee.
FH
[edited by: SemperFidelis at 5:17 am (utc) on Dec. 31, 2006]
SemperFidelis said: Wouldn't WayBackMachine...archive the original and therefore show precedence?
And the Archive would serve only to show who had posted an article on a certain website first. It can be helpful to be able to point out to a web host that "You can view an archived version of the content in question, showing that the content resided on my site two years before your client even got his domain name". But I doubt that a court would take this seriously, since the plagiariser might claim that you merely published online something that he'd published in print or on an unindexed website years before.
Certainly, use whatever information you have to try to force the hand of the plagiariser's web host. For instance, if your copyright notice is still visible in the text or in the HTML coding, point it out. But don't depend on this, any more than you depend on the Archive. Take the time, spend the money, and get your copyright registered. If, God forbid, you ever end up in court, the Registration Certificate should serve to make your case much easier (or should I say, "much less hard"?).
Note: Some web hosts are demanding to see the Certificate before taking any action. Their policy is to do nothing on your behalf, if you haven't even filed.
Eliz.
If you plan to add more information to your site after the initial copyright registration, you will want to review the requirements.
FarmBoy
