More copyright issues....

German individual has copied entire site....

[trillianjedi]

Well, I can live with the odd image of mine being pinched by someone and put on their own site (I generally ignore them as long as it's not a commercial organisation) but now someone in Germany has actually downloaded our entire website and translated it into German, claiming copyright (he even java-scripted out "right-click" save as to stop others taking things off the pages!).

This is really irritating me. You know what it's like, you spend a few weeks researching and writing articles and someone comes along and nabs the lot. They have even taken URL's, copied our meta data, taken the layout etc etc. Basically a total download and substition of some images (although they are using some of ours also) and put their name to it.

Anything I can do? I have tried to contact the webmaster but the email address bounces. I did a reverse lookup and found his ISP (he is running the webserver himself on ADLS by the looks of it).

I suppose you could say "breach of copyright is the sincerest form of flattery", but he hasn't even done it well. The site looks dreadful!

Any suggestions? Do I go straight in and contact the German ISP? Anyone had any experience of this kind of issue with a German site?

Many thanks,

TJ

[Jenstar]

trillianjedi, you seem to attract infringers who want to translate your work - makes me wonder if there are translations of any of my work out there.

Here are some threads to help you out:
[webmasterworld.com...]
[webmasterworld.com...]
[webmasterworld.com...]

I don't have experience with a German site, but I would start by contacting the ISP in question. Did you try and get the guy's contact information through a whois, as well as through the site. You can also try doing a search for the site owner's name, or even doing a search through backlinks - if he placed ads, he may have included an email address. Then send a C&D to all of those addresses - someone else here might be able to point you in the direction of a German version of a C&D letter - you should send both an English and a German version.

If it is in Google, you can always file a DMCA report at [google.com...]

[trillianjedi]

Many thanks Jenstar (also got your sticky and have read your other posts in those threads).

I will start with a cease and desist letter to the ISP - I have tried all the email addresses, and my mails bounce from some form of Spam Blocking software (I have tried from 3 accounts including my hotmail account with no joy).

If anyone can help me with a C&D letter written in German I'd be very grateful. I find that online tools like Babelfish are useful, but don't translate accurately enough for something that really should be accurately written.

I am having problems from websites in other countries, some magazines also which I find surprising (has happened twice now). I'm flattered in some respects (and I guess it's telling me I'm doing something right!) but I'm also furious about all the effort I'm putting in and having that "stolen" from me!

Incidentally, the ultimate cheek, they were promoting this site on the forum on my site!

I'll check them out in google.

TJ

<ADDED: Yes, they are indeed in google. PR0 though, unsurprisingly, they must have only setup very recently. I will fill out the necessary form.>

[trillianjedi]

Can anyone tell me what the relevant statute relating to electronic copyright infringement is in the UK (or Europe if such legislation has been ratified).

Our equivilent of the DMCA basically.

Thanks,

TJ