Comments on: In which I confront a dirty rotten plagiarist

By: Daring Young Dad

Daring Young Dad — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 07:53:17 +0000

The nerve.

By: Matt Saunders

Matt Saunders — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:57:43 +0000

Nicely done, Good Jenny. As a copyright attorney, I deal with this sort of issue quite frequently, and you handled the situation about as well as could be expected. Needless to say, Bad Jenny is entirely incorrect — and you are entirely correct — about how and when copyright protection attaches to your posts. Once a sufficiently original work is fixed in a medium (e.g., pen to paper, photo on film), it is protected.

The issue of whether offering an RSS feed constitutes authorization to republish is coming up more often these days, but were I in Bad Jenny’s place I’d be hesitant to rely on that argument.

I would also note that I often recommend that if you’re operating a website that is frequently updated with original material, and particularly if the site generates revenue for you, you should consider registering the copyright in the website with the US Copyright office every six months or a year. Registration allows you to bring an infringement claim in federal court, though of course I always hope a strongly worded letter will do the trick. As you’ve discovered, it usually does.

Good luck!

By: Isabel

Isabel — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 04:09:15 +0000

HOLY CRAP. This is insane. Good for you for standing strong and fighting!!

By: nicki

nicki — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 02:26:06 +0000

It’s amazing how many really slimy people there are in this world. I have a friend that wrote a check to someone once and the person made copies of her check and cashed them, depleting my friend’s bank account. I don’t know how dishonest people sleep at night!

By: Carrie

Carrie — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 19:32:09 +0000

I was looking at links to my blog this week and found that someone had taken a post of mine, translated it to German (??) and posted it. It looks like this particular blog steal entries from lots of random blogs and posts them. I didnt know why until I read your post today, but there is lots of advertising on the German blog, so I assume that’s the reason. Annoying.

By: Eve

Eve — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:39:54 +0000

I’m fuming right now! Let me at her Jenny! I’m serious! I need to check out her website and leave a nasty comment. Doesn’t she care that she was caught being completely un-original? Tell me what she replies back to your very informed reply. Good job girl!

By: Amanda Regan

Amanda Regan — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:04:13 +0000

This has happened to me too.
An AMERICAN politician took a post I had written on education in ENGLAND, U.K and used it as an example for his latest rant on American life.
The fact I am BRITISH and live and wrote about the UNITED KINGDOM was not even suggested.
I wrote to John Cox and to his webmaster but never even received acknowledgement.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:57:53 +0000

I hope everyone knows that what BAD JENNY did WAS ILLEGAL. A full RSS feed does not mean the author/copyright owner is granting anyone the right to use or profit from their works!

By: Carrie

Carrie — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:46:03 +0000

I can’t wait to read your article on how to avoid this.

I’d be so beyond angry, and I think it would take me a while (and maybe several cocktails) to get over it.

Thanks Jenny for sharing your pain for us.

By: An Ordinary Mom

An Ordinary Mom — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 06:08:16 +0000

My ears would be burning and smoking, too. How do we even find out if this is happening to us?