DMCA filed with Google Search and Host

June 28, 2007

Hi all,

Someone made a complete copy of one of my sites, and put it on a domain that used to be some sort of get rich quick scheme, best that I can tell.

VERY interestingly, while they changed every occurrence of the site’s name, including on the copyright and Terms & Conditions page, they left in place a number of elements; they left in place my 3rd party hit counter, they left in place MY AdSense advertiser number, and they left in place my data salt (which is what allowed me to find them).

What worries me the most of course is that they left my AdSense ID in place…. and ads are NOT showing on the site! I am guessing that AS had banned this domain and that someone was trying to get me banned by placing a copy of my site there.

So I’ve filed a DMCA with the webhost, and filed one with Google search. Google search instructions request individual URLs which I can do, but would be a real pain as there are about 1,000 pages there, from what I can tell.

Do I need to or should I file something with AdSense support? I seem to recall reading something about this a while back, but can’t recall nor find it.

Thanx!

Here’s the instructions for adsense DMCA… go for it:

http://www.google.com/adsense_dmca.html

This is a small instruction for how you can fill DMCA, but click on the link to read it complete, this is taken from there:

To file a notice of infringement with us, you must provide a written communication (by fax or regular mail — not by email, except by prior agreement) that sets forth the items specified below. Please note that you will be liable for damages (including costs and attorneys’ fees) if you materially misrepresent that a product or activity is infringing your copyrights. Accordingly, if you are not sure whether certain material of yours is protected by copyright laws, we suggest that you first contact an attorney.

To expedite our ability to process your request, please use the following format (including section numbers):

1. Identify in sufficient detail the copyrighted work that you believe has been infringed.

For example, “The copyrighted work at issue is the text that appears on http://www.legal.com/legal_page.html”

2. Identify the material that you claim is infringing the copyrighted work listed in item #1 above. Identify each page that allegedly contains infringing material by providing its URL.

3. Provide information reasonably sufficient to permit Google to contact you (email address is preferred).

4. Include the following statement: “I have a good faith belief that use of the copyrighted materials as described above is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.”

5. Include the following statement: “I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.”

6. Sign the paper.

7. Send the written communication to the following address:

Google, Inc.
Attn: Google Legal Support, AdSense DMCA Complaints
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043

OR Fax to the written communication to:

(650) 618-8507, Attn: Google AdSense Support, DMCA complaints

I found sending DMCA notifications to Adsense to work extremely well, as long as the infringing site is using Adsense. In your case, this might be not as helpful as those guys apparently had your ID in the ads. How dumb can people be? Where is the point in copying an entire site (heaven help!) and then leave out to make the final adjustments?

Anyway, for “normal” infringements (i.e. site copies content and uses their own ID to monetize) a DMCA notification to Adsense is perfect.