Stopping Hub Copying at the Source - Copyright Notices => Watermarks

1. 52

   janderson99posted 13 years ago

   I have raised the desperate need for copying blocking tools on Hubpages many times - only to be shouted down - 'they can be easily by-passed, so don't bother'. The most effective way to stop copying is to prevent it (much like dealing with the risks of infections or theft from a store). Trying to find all the copies after they have been stolen is not going to be effective in the long term - it will keep happening. So do we give up? From my experience there are various levels of sophistication and it is worth trying to block most of the copying by simple things that make it harder for most of them. If you make it hard or complicated many will give up and go somewhere else to get their copies. Watermarks have been very effective for images - sure you can remove them using Photoshop or other tools - but why would you bother as there are some many alternative images. What we need is a watermark for text in the articles.
   
   Enter the Copyright Notice
   The Hubpages copyright statement is hidden away in very small print in the footer - there is nothing in the article itself - adding one at the top could stop many copiers - it says Look out! Beware! Don't copy - better than nothing as we have now!
   As well as this I suggest that various forms of copyright notices be sprinkled through the text 1. © Blah Blah  2. Copyright Blah Blah  3. All Rights reserved  4. Copy Protected 5. Stolen from Blah Blah  etc.
   
   The idea would be to have ten or so of them available and to change them regularly and to insert several instances in each HUB (as a watermark) - Sure they can be found and removed, but this will put off many copiers, as it takes time to do this, programs have to be developed particularly when the messages change. It will mean that the source of the article will be identified when it is copied and pasted on another site (a Watermark will Shame and Blame) - the source will be identified.
   
   What Do You Think?
   
   example (text insertions)
   The idea is to simply insert text at various points
   
   © Blah Blah  =>  at the top
   -
   -
   -
   -
   Copyright Blah Blah  => at the end of the first text capsule
   -
   -
   -
   -
   All rights reserved Blah Blah  =>  middle of the 2nd text capsule
   -
   -
   - etc.

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2. 67

   relacheposted 13 years ago

   Re: your theory on copyright notices
   
   I think your strategy is unaesthetic and will disturb the page flow, and not actually reduce the instances of content copying. 
   
   Re: your theory on watermarking
   
   If HubPages won't let me mark my photos as belonging to me, I sure don't want them marking them as belonging to them (because they don't!) unless they are going to go to all the effort to defend the photo rights.

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   1. 52

      janderson99posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your comment - the watermarking I'm referring to is an analogy => insertion of text notices. I am not suggesting that the images be watermarked - copyright for images is another kettle of fish!
      
      The idea is to simply insert text at various points
      
      I have added an example above.
      Cheers,

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3. 65

   psycheskinnerposted 13 years ago

   There is a copyright notice, as I recall, at the bottom--seems like the right place for it?

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   1. 52

      janderson99posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      The fact that you are uncertain where it is highlights the issue.
      Its in the footer - when you copy the article the notice does not get copied.

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      1. 65

         psycheskinnerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I am uncertain because I don't really care.  You could put it on every line and not stop pirates, while annoying the heck out of honest readers.

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4. 75

   Uninvited Writerposted 13 years ago

   I remember seeing one hub that had a huge copyright notice at the top, it still got scraped. They don't care...
   
   You can always add that at the bottom of each capsule if you feel you must.

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