Look Out! Look Out! There's a thief about.

1. 75

   Horatio Plotposted 11 years ago

   I awoke this morning to discover that some unscrupulous idiot had stolen my recent brilliant award winning Hub of the Day, "How to ride the Tube in London", and posted it to Squidoo.
   
   The guy goes by the same name on Hubpages as he does on Squidoo - Doh! - and infact has three seperate sub domains here, all workngs of the same name.
   
   I've done a little research and with a little copy and paste trickery, have checked back on all the HOTDs for the past month. Out of the last 31 Hubs of the Day I've found that 6, including mine, appear on other sites/blogs.
   
   That's almost 20%.
   
   I've informed all the relevent parties and I'm now following my man (on all three accounts) to make sure he doesn't escape!
   
   My point is that 20% is extremely high and it's not just a rouge individual. It's five different sites/blogs.
   
   Surely something can and should be done?
   
   "We have the technology, Jim."

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2. 60

   Jason Menayanposted 11 years ago

   Since we do not own your Hubs, we legally can not assert copyright on your behalf. I would read this Learning Center entry for suggestions on steps to take when someone copies your Hubs without your permission:
   http://hubpages.com/learningcenter/how- … -complaint

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   1. 70

      Cagsilposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Hey Jason,
      
      You might even consider moving this thread to the Hubber's Hangout, so it's not in this forum topic.

      replyreport
   2. 75

      Horatio Plotposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That's very corporate of you Jason.
      
      My main point, which you conveniently ignored, is that 1 in 5 Hubs of the Day over the last month have been stolen and appeared somewhere else on the web.
      
      Do you find that figure acceptable?
      
      How about right click disabling? Or the use of the Tynt app? I'm not sure if those things work but there's two suggestions for you.
      
      We're a community Jason.
      
      And to quote Mark Ewbie, "Google seems to know what I had for breakfast - why can't it check if my work has been copied as well?" 
      
      Horatio
      x

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      1. 75

         Horatio Plotposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Leave it where it is, I'm reporting a problem.

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      2. 60

         Jason Menayanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         You might not like my reply but I suggest you reread it.
         
         The consensus is that all attempts to curtail copying might make some feel better that we've "done something" but they will not actually stop copying.

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3. 95

   wildernessposted 11 years ago

   Horatio - I was one of the "victims" and much appreciated the email you sent to me. 
   
   In addition to the link you kindly provided, however, I also found 4 other sites (including one Chinese one) with the same theft, likely all from the same thief.  One had modified the hub very slightly (an additional sentence, changing a very occasional word, etc.) but nowhere enough to satisfy me. 
   
   At this point I have written to all, requesting they take the stolen material down immediately.  If that doesn't work (and it probably won't) I will file DMCA's with the site and with google (all but the chinese site used adsense).  I would love to cost the thief their adsense account.

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   1. 95

      wildernessposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Encouragingly, I just received an email from Zimbio, where my hub was posted, saying that they would take the duplicate down.
      
      That leaves 4 to go...

      replyreport
4. 84

   rebekahELLEposted 11 years ago

   Have you flagged his account here at HP?

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   1. 80

      Healthy Pursuitsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with rebekahELLE. Flag his accounts - all of them.

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   2. 75

      Horatio Plotposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, but I'd rather he stayed, I want to stalk him....

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      1. 0

         summerberrieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Horatio Plot, sorry this has happened to you and others. Riding the tube is such a great hub, I know you must have put a great amount of work in it. I'd rather he lose his adsense account, but anyway -happy stalking...if I were him I'd run!

         replyreport
5. 58

   Roohi Khanposted 11 years ago

   Ok, I just decided to check out if one of my articles has been copied. Here is what I found.
   
   Here is my article:
   
   http://roohikhan.hubpages.com/hub/The-H … -its-Juice
   
   And here is the link to a copied article:
   
   healthbenefits.biz/2012/05/health-benefits-of-bottle-gourd.html
   
   Now, I am really not good at identifying the owner of the site and the site host. Can someone please tell me how to complain?

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6. 67

   Pearldiverposted 11 years ago

   @ Roohikan... You have also given the Turkey a nice backlink - So I suggest that you firstly 'break' that link before anything else!
   
   AND
   
   @ OP
   In the absence of Anything else 'Corporate'... Kindly SHAME the Thieving Mutt here by advising all us raped and unceremoniously scrapped writers.. Exactly what the Skunk's HP names are!  Then before he gets banned or slapped with a limp wrist... WE the people, can kick his butt and follow the clues that will lead to the other sites that support hard working article thieves!

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7. 58

   Roohi Khanposted 11 years ago

   Thanks, Pearldriver. Done.

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   1. 67

      Pearldiverposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Cheers... btw.. it's ...diver
      
      Do a 'Whois' search on the domain and with a bit of luck it should provide you all the details you need - unless they have purchased an anon domain status.. which only applies to a few countries. eg: All UK site ownership (as are Many others and domain levels (.biz, .us etc.) listed) is regarded as public knowledge and therefore traceable!

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      1. 58

         Roohi Khanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks, Pearldriver.
         
         I didn't get much with a Whois search or maybe I just didn't understand it.
         
         So, I thought I will just go with the de-indexing.
         
         Just wanted to know if someone or the Hubpages staff could tell me what option to select after 'Websearch' in the Google DMCA complaint page?

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         1. 75

            Horatio Plotposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Thanks all.
            I've flagged all his accounts a day and a half ago but they're still all here - guess it takes time.
            Unless HP adopt the position that there's nothing to link those accounts and his Squidoo account together.
            He uses the same unusual name on both sites, is from the same country, uses similar cartoony type avatars, words his profies exactly the same. All those things are the same on his Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook accounts as well.
            He's an Internet guru don't ya know!.
            Could be viewed as circumstantial I guess.
            Whatever. I've flagged here and reported to Squidoo. May do DMCA if it doesn't go quickly.
            I'm just amazed that HP see the fact that 1 in 5 Hubs of the Day get nicked as normal and acceptable.
            File a DMCA, shrug and have another cup of coffee seems to be the attitude.
            In these days of Pandas, Penguins, Polar Bears, Chipmunks and the like you'd think it would be important.
            H
            x
            
            Nice friendly auto response from Squidoo by the way. Quite impressed.

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            1. 81

               Mark Ewbieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Name and shame on Squidoo forums and on here.  Elsewhere too if you can think of anywhere.
               
               Fact is the username is a thief.
               
               Hp have a particular attitude towards this which I find extraordinary, but I won't bother going into it.  Not on here anyway, it will only lead to a slap down.
               
               The thing about HP and high user scores and HOTD's, and anything really, is that we are a magnet for these low life scum. 
               
               That follower you just picked up?  Could be someone copying you.
               
               That new user who is posting loads of content?  Probably stole it from Squidoo.  It works both ways.
               
               Basically, anything and everything gets stolen.
               
               It happens on all sites of course, but a content site is like a goldmine for people looking to copy particular types of article.
               
               Name, shame, DMCA.
               
               Chances are also that this scammer has 100 other accounts, all doing the same thing.  They may not be a 'real' person, just a professional copier, who won;t even notice any forum embrassment.  They may not be able to read English.
               
               Jason is technically correct in his "we don't own the content comment".  It's just that unique way of phrasing it that kind of grates.
               
               As for Google's attitude and supposed lack of technical ability to do anything about it.  Everything about Google search exists on copied content.  None of it is theirs.  They just index and link and profit from the work of others.
               
               Whenver I think about this I find it rather depressing.  So I try to ignore it and forget it.
               
               IF you are outranking this piece of shit then you are OK.

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8. 75

   Horatio Plotposted 11 years ago

   Oh look! it just got stolen again!
   My, my. I am popular!

   replyreport
9. 95

   Dolores Monetposted 11 years ago

   I have, in the past, filed DMCAs and nothing has been done on certain sites. But I think that if it is a fellow hubber stealing your stuff, that hubber should be banned from HP. Plenty of others have been banned for less.
   I had some content stolen by a fellow who claimed and made a big noise about being a Christian. Which kind of struck me funny, but reminded me that you have to beware of everyone.

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   1. 67

      Pearldiverposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      + 1
      
      Absolutely... I've been banned so many times in 3 years for chasing these thieves, catching them, growling at HP about thieving 'members' ( ) of the site and for hitting them with a stick!! 
      
      Factually, a Duty of Care does exist in regards to our work, irrespective of what a current TOS or disclaimer may state!  Many of us joined here as a direct result of stated benefits, which we were reasonably entitled to expect having had those 'entitlements' offered by HP... albeit under circumstances that were vastly different from a community perspective, promoted importance of our direct involvement and from the basis that article theft and scrapping was then not so prevalent. The reason I make this point is because: it is often smudged and almost denied by HP whenever this community reaches out to the site personnel for genuine help in reducing the effects of such lowlife actions!
      
      And in regard to NOT holding the ability to ACT on behalf of the Copyright holders... Well I certainly could design the appropriate legal release document to allow that to happen, specific to such occasions! But, that would only tend to endorse my view in regard to the 'presence' of a Duty of Care!
      But hey... that would be too easy wouldn't it? Just imagine how hard it would then be to throw a Singular DMCA (on behalf of Our Writers) at a Pirate Site.. and I'm sure Google would end up taking US and HP more seriously also!

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      1. 60

         Jason Menayanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         You've never once been banned for chasing content thieves. We don't ban people for things we'd like for them to do. You were banned for violating our forum rules.

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         1. 67

            Pearldiverposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Oh you do struggle with my accent don't you mate. I don't believe I have told a porky in my statement! I've told you in the past that due to my ethical beliefs, I am not one to intentionally tell lies or attempt to embellish my importance to the world... so why would you defensively take my words out of context, just to attack the accuracy of them? 
            
            Factually, the way you have done so, is exactly in the same way that I have been baited by forum trolls seeking a banning opportunity on most occasions that I have successfully chased content thieves on behave of Everyone here!
            
            Now... if you read what I said In Context then you surely will understand that I compensated for my accent with commas... and therefore agreed that I have been banned many times for chasing them and Hitting Them With a Stick!
            
            Pretty much in the same manner you chased me down Jason.

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   2. 82

      Connie Smithposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      As far as I know, I've never had any work stolen, but I am very shocked that a member could do this and still be a member.  It doesn't make sense to me at all. 
      
      The way I look at it is that stealing the work of another hubber is the same as stealing from Hubpages.  It dilutes the body of work that makes Hubpages its income in much the same way as it does to the hubber. 
      
      After all, the rogue hubber is not doing it to look like an expert in certain subjects or to become the next Hemingway by stealing a body of work.  They are doing it to steal INCOME that rightfully belongs to BOTH hubbers and to Hubpages.

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10. 75

    Horatio Plotposted 11 years ago

    OK. So I traced this guy to Facebook, sent him a friend request to which he replied (doh!)and then messaged him asking for an explanation. I don't want to go into the detail but he removed himself from Squidoo sharpish. He's still here on HubPages with 3 sub domains. It's only a total of 10 hubs with the last activity over 6 months ago. As I said earlier, I've flagged them so it's up to HP what they do. Apart from my say-so the evidence against him is circumstantial.
    The thing is now the Hub has been stolen again! This time by persons unknown for a blog. The blog is on Blogger.
    But here's the rub.
    If Google can identify these copies from me conducting a simple copy and paste test on the first 28 word paragraph of a 2,000 odd word article, then how come it can't do that before it allows a blogger to post an entry to their blog and reject it?
    And who owns Blogger do you think?
    I've said my fill on this.

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11. 67

    Pearldiverposted 11 years ago

    Oh btw Jason..
    
    What relevance does this flea have to our dog?
    
    
    Events that Changed the World - History and Archaeology ...
    cache.zazna.com › ... › Education and Science › History and Archaeology
    Shot at Dawn: Lest We Forget WW1 Crimes and Haig: An... by Pearldiver. World Wide Flooding or Polar Shift? by somethgblue. An Odd History of the 4th of July!
    
    
    Because this proxy is listing in my SERPS higher than Hubs are in their own category and doing so on the names of most hubbers who write in such categories!
    You might find some interesting links behind the facade if you look carefully!

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12. 67

    Pearldiverposted 11 years ago

    Has anyone else checked the proxy above out? 
    
    Is    zazna dot com     part of anyone else's problems here?

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