It's really sad to have to post this, but I am getting really tired of other websites using my content without my permission. It stinks. And even more sadly, writing this post won't change a damn thing.
The thing is, I am not a business. I don't have a team of lawyers, so there is little you can do when it DOES happen, but equally there is something else I want to point out. And that's that I am not trying to come across like some restrictive loon in stopping people using things. I want to be fair.
You see, ALL of the content on Got A Ukulele is covered by a Creative Commons 4 Licence (as it states in the footer). That means that you are FREE to use the original content. You can copy it, you can share it, but you have to do it in the original format. And in order to have that privilege you have to agree to three terms:
Attribution - you have to provide a link back to the original content
Non Commercial - obvious
No Derivatives - you cant trim stuff out, take pictures out of context, modify the content and that sort of thing.
I think they are really fair rules in the spirit of social media myself, yet some scumbags seem to think it is ok to just lift what they want like it's a free for all. A while ago I even had to turn off the ability to copy and paste text from the site as some scumbags chose to copy whole swathes of the blog (I'm talking big sections here that took years to build up) and pass them off as their own work on their sites... So that means people now can't copy the song sheets that was the EXPRESS intention... And that really upsets me. But ah, you know - the few spoil it for the many. This is why whe cant have nice things....
I know mistakes happen, I've probably made mistakes myself, but it just KEEPS happening. And it's always the same SORT of site - the Facebook Page or the Review Site that clearly has no other original content in it and that thrives on copying other peoples work just to build traffic.. The sites that just list reviews that are basically text culled from Amazon reviews. Or the pages that just share endless mindless ukulele memes. (Yes, I've had my photographs used in memes...)..
Come on people - stop ripping off other creators of content. Use your own brains for once. I can't sue you and you know that, so you give it a shot anyway. But I WILL expose you far and wide. I will tell the ukulele community what low life you are.
And ultimately no - this ISN'T the end of the world and it does kind of smack of 'first world problems' but it's still damn annoying. The amount of time that goes into this site I really don't think people understand.
Thanks for listening. Again...
More on the Creative Commons Licence that covers this site on this link.
© Barry Maz
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THANKS!
I think it is time to name and shame the people and companies that are blatantly ripping you off. Your polite (and more direct) comments regarding this matter have had no effect so far. Time to ramp it up. It is unfair, unacceptable and effectively theft.
ReplyDeleteAgreed!
DeleteThis post is a warning that I will name and shame when they happen. Currently doing that on the UU Group on Facebook about a page called 'AboutUkulele' - naturally I dont want to put links in as I dont want them getting more traffic!
ReplyDeleteIt's the pits. I applaud you for going the creative commons route. That has always been outside my comfort zone. Seemed safer to just keep my content locked down on my site, but I've still had some issues over the years (mainly the goof at Ukutabs).
ReplyDeleteThe good news is that Google figures this stuff out. They know where the content first originated and flag the copycat nine times out of ten. In my experience, you have to work insanely hard to get decent traffic from non-search referrals so they are shooting themselves in the foot by playing with fire like this. As a result they don't seem to last long in a meaningful way.
Keep fighting the good fight,
Brad
Thanks Brad - yes I remember that ukutabs thing well. Ughhh..
ReplyDeleteMy blog recently got lifted by a bot, which is annoying. Because there is nothing I can do, I had to laugh it off because they changed words and the grammar and syntax is now all out, and the cover photo swapped for a stock image of pizza.
ReplyDeleteOriginal: https://grubnoshscran.wordpress.com/2017/09/26/pizza-pilgrims-soho-london/
Copycat: https://good-cookery.com/recipes/pizza/pizza-pilgrims-soho-london-grub-nosh-scran/32884/
Oh that's GLORIOUS!
ReplyDeleteHA HA... Point made.. Your bloody (enforced) copyright control mean I can’t copy and paste Kris Ball’s links...
ReplyDeletewe will never know!!
COPYING thieving bast***s
I use effectively the same license for my pictures. And pictures, too, are lifted all the time - not just by shady sites, but occasionally by what you'd regard as mainstream media sites.
ReplyDeleteIn the case of pictures, though, there is sometimes a way to fight back - one that I have yet to use, but I know other people do. Frequently, sites won't even download a copy of the image; they just link directly to the original, embedding it on their own page. So, you can simply replace the image by something inappropriate, pornographic or obnoxious. If you go to some site and the images are all, for instance, a text saying the site is a thief, then this is likely the cause.
I often read your blog and find it informative and interesting. However, this latest one does seem like unnecessary moaning compared with other people's problems in the world. I think that describing people as "scumbags" and "lowlife" on an online public forum because they copied your blog is a bit much. I comment only as a casual reader and don't claim to understand the full situation regarding putting a blog together. But your latest post does seem rather churlish and I don't think it paints you in a great light. As I've said, I mainly enjoy your blog and hope you keep up the good work. Neil
ReplyDeleteChurlish? Oh in that case I may as well open up all my work, content and property as free for all. If you knew how many hours went into this site you can see why it's iritating to have your stuff stolen. And no, of COURSE it's not a serious as many world problems but it's more churlish to make the comparison really.
ReplyDeleteIrrespective. We either own content or we dont. If you accept we do, it's only right that we protect it and shout out against those low lifes that want to use other peoples work to bandstand their own attention grab.
Think of life all all content was stolen - there would be no good content left. Because nobody would do it.
You have to guard your keep. No matter what. There will always be some shiftless bum too lazy and talentless to create their own. "Onward through the fog..."
ReplyDelete