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Copyright issues
You might notice I've added a copyright disclaimer on the sidebar. I'm in the middle of dealing with someone who has chosen to copy 18 entire posts from my blog and repost them on another website. I hope to have the matter resolved quickly and the stolen material removed soon.
Copyright exists as soon as you create something, though there is of course an added legal process to further that notion. It should be understood that one can't copy posts from elsewhere and post them on one's own blog without permission. This basic understanding of copyright and the small copyright statement at the bottom of my blog should have sufficed. Apparently, it now needs to be stated in no uncertain terms. I hate clutter, and my blog is no exception, so it irritates me to have this posted and taking up space on my page.
But, I didn't want anyone who follows my blog regularly to see this addition and think I was referring to links back to my posts or the use of my tutorials in your own projects. I love to share my projects, ideas, tips and tricks. And, I always give credit to those who have inspired me.
I guess this is just one of the things we have to deal with as online bloggers. It still stinks, though. :\
Updates posted 10/25/12 and 11/6/12
NOTE: If you are a VK.COM user, please do not post my images to that site in particular without permission.
For all sites: Please do not reprint my entire tutorials on other websites or blogs, including Pinterest.
It should go without saying that no one should put their logo on any work that is not their own, but many have done so and not just on any one website. Please do not put your logo or name on my work.
If you've had a Pinterest pin or other image removed at my request, it is typically due to that image being hot-linked on multiple other websites and the only way to remove it is to remove the pin.
This is not an all inclusive list, but some basic guidelines about copyright and internet ettiquette.
21 comments
What a strange and irritating thing to do?! I was glad I looked up your chair tonight as I did not realise there was a subscription issue with blogger. Hopefully I will receive all your posts again. As you know I love reading, learning and enjoying all your fabulous projects.
Good luck with the silly copier.
10/23/12 @ 13:21
Send that infringing beeeeotch a Cease and Desist! You can also inform his or her webhost. This is usually abuse(at)the_host.com. Check the whois data.
The bottom of your blog, next to the copyright notice, also advertises LAMP hosting. :o
10/23/12 @ 14:29
Sorry you're going through this, Brae. They've talked about this in crafting circles, and now some people add a statement at the bottom of each blog post, so that people can't steal your content directly from your feed, which is becoming very common. Here's what shows up at the bottom of every one of Carina's (Carina's Craftblog) posts:
This is a blog post from Carina's Craftblog - http://carinascraftblog.wardi.dk/ All images and text on this blog are copyright of Carina Envoldsen-Harris 2006-2012. Unless otherwise attributed. Please do not use this blog feed in a way that republishes entire posts. Please do not add my blog to a public feed stream such a 'friends' on Livejournal. If you see full blog posts from Carina's Craftblog published on other sites please let me know. Thank you.
This is probably a really good idea, I just haven't done it yet. ;-) xo Jennifer
10/23/12 @ 14:33
Glad to have you back, Janice! 
Monkey - 
Jennifer - Oy, that would be even more clutter! I get why people add it, but that would just drive me batty to have that all over my blog. 
I should add the copied posts are posted in another language, which has complicated the process of having them removed. So, the person had to actually translate the content, then copy and paste it. Not difficult to do, but it didn't come from a direct feed.
Monkey -
Jennifer - Oy, that would be even more clutter! I get why people add it, but that would just drive me batty to have that all over my blog.
I should add the copied posts are posted in another language, which has complicated the process of having them removed. So, the person had to actually translate the content, then copy and paste it. Not difficult to do, but it didn't come from a direct feed.10/23/12 @ 14:38
It really does stink. I've dealt with this myself, as well as been involved with copyright cases professionally. Perhaps most irritating of all is that the people who do this kind of thing don't seem to care, at all, about the simple ethics of the situation. Forget the law, sometimes there's just plain right and wrong. I've talked about this on my blog before, but several years ago I was really disappointed to discover that a miniaturist I really liked--as an artisan and as a person--was stealing a fellow miniaturist's work, representing it as her own and, indeed, charging unsuspecting people for the privilege of attending "her" classes and using "her" tutorials.
And then, well--smile and be glad this didn't happen to you. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine texted me a picture...of me. Another (so-called) friend of ours had, with neither my knowledge nor permission, sold digital copies of some of my wedding pictures to a lingerie store to use as advertising. The poor lingerie store owners had been told that she was our photographer (she wasn't) and had rights to the photos (she didn't). I'm just lucky the photos weren't more revealing than they were; so much for the charming memories provided by "getting ready" shots.
10/23/12 @ 15:41
PS: Good for you for asserting your rights! I hope this situation is resolved successfully, and soon. Nobody needs this kind of stress.
10/23/12 @ 15:42
That's awful!!! What are they taking from you? This happened to me, took my original idea and tried to pass it off as their own and then tried to profit off of it!!! I get scared even working on similar things to people for fear that ideas might be similar and what-not... I hope it works out for you in the end...
10/23/12 @ 15:58
So sorry Brae that you are going through this. One thing about your blog I love is that you show so much detail in your photos and in your explanation. As I have been working on my Old Farmhouse I have been inspired by so many of your ideas, but would never think of re-posting anything that is the same. I am so sorry that you are going through this. But, thank you for sharing all your talent with us.
10/23/12 @ 15:59
>:/ Your tutorials are available in lots of languages with Google translate, if someone should need them. So, that's not exactly a pile of "work" on their end. That's like saying the last guy who translated the bible is the author.
10/23/12 @ 17:46
I have learned so much from your blog, and wish I had the talent to pull off a copy and take credit for it - but that will never happen!! Were they claming their work was yours?
10/23/12 @ 18:33
Thank you for all the support.
CJ - I would have been furious. 
It's not minis that were copied or misrepresented but the actual posts...text and photos in their entirety...reposted on someone else's site. Some were step-by-step tutorials and some were just regular posts. Only my "otterine" name was used as well - not even a link to my site - not that it would have been okay with me if she had linked. I found the posts purely by accident. She isn't necessarily claiming the content as hers but she did not ask for permission before posting my content elsewhere, and I want my intellectual property removed from her site.
CJ - I would have been furious.
It's not minis that were copied or misrepresented but the actual posts...text and photos in their entirety...reposted on someone else's site. Some were step-by-step tutorials and some were just regular posts. Only my "otterine" name was used as well - not even a link to my site - not that it would have been okay with me if she had linked. I found the posts purely by accident. She isn't necessarily claiming the content as hers but she did not ask for permission before posting my content elsewhere, and I want my intellectual property removed from her site.10/23/12 @ 19:25
Sorry for all this trouble you're having, Brae! I hope you succeed in forcing her to remove your property from her site. It's a good thing you came upon these posts by accident. You must have been flabbergasted!
10/23/12 @ 19:43
Not as uncommon as one would think. Apparently it's big business...
You might find this lady's experience helpful.
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/stop-scrapers-from-stealing-your-content/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BetweenNapsOnThePorch+%28BETWEEN+NAPS+ON+THE+PORCH%29
10/24/12 @ 04:28
Thanks for the info...I'll have to check that out more. In this particular instance, it was an actual person doing a copy and paste, but I'm sure having content stolen from RSS feeds is a huge problem, too.
10/24/12 @ 08:19
How awful for you to have found this. I hope it gets sorted out soon - you must have been flabbergasted at their cheek.
10/24/12 @ 11:53
Oh, Brae! I am deeply saddened that someone who does so much to foster love of this hobby by sharing her own inspiration and creativity would be so blatantly taken advantage of. Not that it should happen to anyone, but to you, someone so generous and conscientious in crediting others' work, it seems especially despicable.
10/24/12 @ 20:29
I am sorry to hear of this trouble. It is a real shame. Is there software out there that can prevent this kind of thing? If not there should be and there's an idea! What kind of blogging software are you using p.s.?
10/24/12 @ 21:24
Thanks for the support. It's not the blogging software, though I'm checking an issue with my webhost that should have helped somewhat. But, in reality, what she did can't be prevented by software alone. She actually copied the translated content and pasted it. Sure, you can slow someone down with that, too, but you can't really prevent content theft 100%. I'm using b2evolution, btw.
10/24/12 @ 21:33
Brae, if it is any consolation (and I do understand it probably won't be) your posts and tutorials are among the most recognisable in the miniaturists' world. Other than Casey Minis, I cannot think of another blogger who is so generous and - well - properly instructive in the information you publish. I have learned so much from you. Anyone who stumbles upon her blog, even if they hadn't read the corresponding entry in yours, is bound to recognise it as Otterine. I was going to do a Google search to find out who had done this despicable thing, but I desisted: I wouldn't want to boost her hits!
11/04/12 @ 00:57
Hi Brae, I am so sorry to hear your story and it scares me a little, for on my own blog I explain very clearly, step by step, how I am working on my own house. It never occured to me that some people actually "steal" information from a blog and present it like it's their own knowledge!
To my opinion blogging is about learning from each other so one can create something that is unique, that can't be copied. I am always gratefull when miniaturists share their experience so generously and abusing this is a detestable thing to do. People at least ought to mention the source of their knowledge and show some respect.
Anyway, I was planning to mention your blog in my next post, for I am so enthousiastic about it, I think everybody needs to have look at your house! Do you mind that?
Liduina
01/28/13 @ 00:23
Thank you for the compliments! 
I don't mind at all if people link back to my blog.
I don't mind at all if people link back to my blog. 01/28/13 @ 05:30