Somebody has set up an RSS feed and is taking all of the content from this site, https://tagn.wordpress.com, and is re-running it on their own site.
I assume this is some scam to drive traffic for ad revenue.
The site even has the nerve to declare the content “copyright 2007” as though it was theirs.
I’ve seen this happen to other sites. Now how do I put a stop to it?
Hi Wilhelm2451, I really enjoy reading your blog althought I usually don’t leave comments :-). Found this page, thought it might be helpful :http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/04/10/what-do-you-do-when-someone-steals-your-content/
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Could it be as simple as changing the feed settings? In your WordPress management pages, under ‘Options -> Reading’ you can force the feed only to show the article summary, and there is also a note under that option that may also be useful.
Bear in mind that I am close to being a clueless newb, so if it doesn’t work I won’t be at all surpirsed.
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Don’t know if the WHOIS info would be useful at all? Possibly a strongly worded letter to this scoundrel’s domain registrar?
http://www.whois.net/
I’m guessing your only real recourse, (assuming actually asking him to stop doesn’t work), would be to tackle it at the ISP level, if possible – some kind of takedown notice.
Grrr!
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Yeah, I noticed the same thing yesterday when I was getting ping backs from your stuff twice.
…I recommend sending the hounds.
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One of my friends was getting her blog copied by some guy in like the Phillipines, I’m not sure if she did anything except Van Hemlock’s suggestion (strongly worded letter) but I think that fixed the issue. Good luck.
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If they’re using your RSS feed, could you add a custom footer to your feed with copyright information, etc.? I don’t know if WordPress.com allows you to use plugins, but here’s a post with some wordpress plugins that help with this: http://www.clazh.com/wordpress-plugins-to-combat-sploggers/
Since that website uses Google Adsense, you can report it to Google’s AdSense program, and the account could be revoked.
Here’s a website that keeps a database of “splogs” and reports them to search engines: http://splogreporter.com/
I’ve read that sites like these drop of search engine results pretty quickly and fade away. Don’t let it stop you from delivering the goods! Great blog, man.
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The other solution may be to not include the whole body in the feed, but just a summary, and then the obligatory “More” link to read the full article. They’re probably too lazy to actually read every article and cut/paste it into their own feed…
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.htaccess + mod_rewrite can do wonders and redirect them to content they never ever wanted to know it exists
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Hey, if only someone else had suggested that.
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Hi,
Two suggestions. Perhaps notify google and the other ad profiders on that site what this person is doing. I think they have something in there agreement that covers this sort of issue. The other suggestion is, if possible, code something in your text and pictures that won’t allow them to be copyed and then pasted. I’ve noticed that some pages have this. I’ll want to make a hard copy to read at work and you can’t copy the text. Not sure how you go about doing that. That person is truly evil and should be strung up by their nose hairs.
Hope it all works out,
Ceadrick
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I second Van Hemlock, you should contact the registrar and keep at it until they stop this idiot. How did you find out btw?
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Thanks for all of the suggestions.
Of course, the first reason for this post was to fire a shot across his bow. I wanted to see this message at the top of his page. :)
I noticed it late last night, just before I went to bed, so I haven’t gone down any of the paths suggested, except WHOIS. It came to my attention due to my own self-referential nature. I got pingbacks to this site from the entries.
I do hate to go to a summary RSS feed, since I like being able to read all of a sites content in a reader myself, but that might be the easiest, immediate option.
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Hey, guess what! The email address with the domain registration is a fake.
I guess I drew the “do directly to domain provider” card.
And while Splog Reporter appears to be out of business, SplogSpot is available.
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Nasty gram to the offender and take down notice to the ISP.
Some background:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OCILLA
http://www.nolo.com/article.cfm/pg/1/objectId/1902780E-68C9-436B-925AC37E42F4CD71/catId/806B7BA0-4CDF-4221-9230A3135E2DF07A/104/284/205/ART/
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Hey Wilhelm,
I love your site. I read it everyday at Fizert.com. :)
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Some game sites just do it blatantly:
http://www.mmoz.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=161
The perils of RSS feeds.
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Yes, though MMOz does, on occasion, give you credit. I wouldn’t mind at all if the post were attributed to me. But this is some bozo trying to drive people to his pop-up ad trap site by claiming my content as his own.
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In response to the previous two comments: Every single item in the MMOz feed section is clearly credited multiple times and linked directly to the source according to the original feed creator’s specified format, rather than “on occasion.” There is also a clear statement identifying the item as an RSS feed on every single post. Feed items are permanently removed after seven days. The feed publishers have formatting control over the amount of text shown, some may just have a title and link, others may have a sentence or two, while still others publish complete text. That section of the site is a feed aggregator collecting the feeds of sites that I read and enjoy and want to share with others. Publishers may remove their feed at any time by sending an email to the link at the bottom of each page.
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