Reporting abuse to google ?

[alexod]

Hi,

There are a lot of websites who duplicating our content. Most of the sites are machine generated websites - looks like they just grabbing content from other sites. How can i report this websites to google ?

I find this tool - _google.com/webmasters/tools/spamreport, but "Copyright and other legal issues" link don't provide such options ... it's looks like for information purposes.

thanks

[keyplyr]

Hi alexod - Try Removing Content From Google [support.google.com] and check the box that says "Web Search"

Also, I highly recommend emailing a Cease & Desist notification to the page owner, their hosts & any other upstream contact info you can find. Develop a template and take one at a time. Here is an example of a Cease & Desist that conforms to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA):

Subject: Cease and Desist - Copyright Infringement (DMCA)

The above website on your servers has copied and published our property without permission. Permission to use our property was neither solicited nor granted.

The infringing content is published on: http://www.example.com/

The infringing content is taken from: http://www.example.com/

Please remove this content and all other property owned by example.com from your server immediately to avoid legal proceedings.

I have a good faith belief that use of the copyrighted materials described above on the allegedly infringing web pages is not authorized by me, any agent representing me, or the law.

I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in this notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner.

Signature:/Your_Name/ Date: YYYY/MM/DD
Signatory's Name: Your_Name
Signatory's Position: owner

Be precise. Identify the exact images or content used without your permission. Identify exactly where to find that infringed material. Identify the exact page of yours the content is taken from.

You should hear back in a few days. Save all copies of emails or letters exchanged.

---

[alexod]

Thanks Keyplyr,

Which section is more related ?

Removing Content From Google => Web Search => "I have found a site that is engaging in suspicious behavior" or "I have a legal issue that is not mentioned above" ?

[keyplyr]

I would try the "suspicious behavior" first, just because it sounds simpler to do.

But try to get the sites shut down with the C&D.



[fix typo]

[edited by: keyplyr at 6:50 pm (utc) on May 17, 2017]

[alexod]

ok. Thanks.

[alexod]

If you try to Suspicious behavior - it redirect you to Prevent & report phishing attacks, which is something different. Why google provide only one option for suspicious behavior ? It's round trip :-(

[keyplyr]

it redirect you to...

That's the challenge. I'd rather just have an open text field where we could type in our message, but that requires a human to read it and take action. Much more cost effective to do as much automated actions as possible prior to getting to a human.

Anyway, as I said, the best action you can take is to send C&D's to the page owner, their host & their upstream provider and be precise with your information. Maybe have someone proof read it prior to sending just to be sure. Good luck.

[alexod]

Anyway, as I said, the best action you can take is to send C&D's to the page owner, their host & their upstream provider and be precise with your information. Maybe have someone proof read it prior to sending just to be sure. Good luck.

Today i got response from one of the hosters (Moscow based), that they can't remove or block website as because the website which grabbed whole page content (even images, reviews from clients), as because owner add (yesterday) nofollow link to our site ! It's funny --- "nofollow link"

What can i do ?

[keyplyr]

Sadly, not much you can do with Easter European (or any) countries that have chosen not to comply.

[tangor]

The best that g can do, if they should act, would be to demote or remove the offending page from their index. They cannot get your stuff back or prevent the infringer from displaying your content via that site's internal links or any external links to that content on the web.

Color it gone.

Meanwhile, in jurisdictions that adhere to copyright, both national and international conventions, a cease and desist letter to the HOST of the site is first action.

Second action, if the above fails, is to contact an attorney with experience with Intellectual Properties credentials and SUE. This is expensive and time consuming, and, once again, will not make you whole unless you can prove Harm and recover lost income or damaged reputation in the form of monetary award.

For most of these things, leaning out the window and yelling "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" will probably provide the best satisfaction, resulting in zero benefit as far as resolution or regaining any lost rank at g.

G is merely a search index. they have no content, other than what they create in the process of providing their service. They have no dog in the fight and will likely be of little help unless you're as big as Disney or as well armed as Germany, France or the USA.

Lawyers might do the trick, but as stated, it ain't cheap.

Other option is to change/update your content to stay ahead of the scammers (that lasts for at 13 seconds).

On the other hand, if your website is an intellectual Property with Trademark, you might find some relief by communicating with the the Trade Authorities of the Country where the offending site is located. This again requires a lawyer, or knowing a high placed government official would come in mighty handy.

Or keep clicking on links at g's reporting site and see what happens.

[30K_a_month]

hello,

You cannot do anything.

Sending DMCA etc does nothing and never will.

There is NO protection from people stealing content and then ranking above you with your own articles.

There 0 defence against this, you just have to suck it up.

What I would do though, is hook up to your site [projecthoneypot.org...] .

[edited by: 30K_a_month at 10:12 am (utc) on May 26, 2017]

[keyplyr]

Sending DMCA etc does nothing and never will.

That is not an accurate statement 30K_a_month.

I have had dozens of offending pages, and several entire websites, taken down as a direct result of Cease & Desist Notices.

[30K_a_month]

my apologies, I have had only a small percentage dealt with when ive made DMCA ...... I assume the sites that you reported were less spammy than the ones I get copied by ? all the content I have seen stolen has gone on usless thow away domains on $5 hosts. I would say its probably around 1 in 10 success...

I stand corrected on my statement on DMCA

[keyplyr]

Of course some hosting companies make a significant amount of money by allowing bad-neighborhoods refuge and are less likely to support C&D notices. Sadly there isn't much you can do in those situations.

[30K_a_month]

yes I think thats the difference in respect to our experiences and they are the situations I am familiar with.