Amazon Assoc Sites SHUT DOWN by DCMA Hoax

Hi Guys,

I'm not an Amazon affiliate but consider myself an affiliate advocate and am an affiliate management consultant.

I've been reading with interest all the threads over at the Amazon Assocaites forum about the NetEnforcers issue and am AMAZED this problem has not gotten much press.

Numerous Amazon associates have had their sites shut down and have lost income. Why? For displaying product info on their sites that is provided to them by Amazon in the AWS datafeed. Big merchants like Sony and Crutchfield, are involved. Hosts are shutting affiliate sites down without warning and some Amazon affiliates are threaening class action lawsuits.

Here's the full LONG story in case you don't know about it.
http://affiliate-blogs.5staraffiliateprograms.com/2006/06/15/amazon-affiliates-dcma/

(Amazon affiliates in the forum are asking people to blog and submit to Slashdot and media to get this issue exposure.) So I submitted the story to DIGG, so if some of you go and Digg it - the story will get more attention.

http://digg.com/technology/Amazon_Affiliate_Sites_Shutdown_in_Massive_DCMA_Hoax

I just skimmed the threads here over at the AZ forum and think I have a good grasp on the issue - but PLEASE let me know if I have mis-represented anything or if there is an important issue I missed. You can also post updates or more info in my forum where everyone that reads my blog can go to make their comments. My blog is #1 in all the search engines and with all the Diggs this should get lots of exposure over in my forum, so I want to be sure all my info is right and need your help in keeping it updated. You can also just post or PM me here with updates.

Thanks and I hope this helps,

 

Dugg.

So, is it a giant-sized hoax then? Or is it a legit company?

To me it sounds like dumbass who thought it would be funny to shut down sites via a hoax email but to be honest, I don't have the time right now to read through everything to make up my own mind.

 

Mmmmmm........it will be a loss for amazon too

 

I Stumbled it, but apparently that page is returning a 412 error? It worked all right for me, that's just what StumbleUpon is reporting.

It's a worrying precedent. If it succeeds in any way, soon DCMA hoaxes will be all over us. Lets hope the perps are caught and made to pay damages.

 

No it sounds like a legit company that is in biz to protect company brands BUT if you read all the info they have a hidden agenda.

Bottom line is affiliates are doing nothing wrong. Amazon provides the feed and says it's OK. Yet innocent affiliates are having their site shut down without warning and losing money.

 

so, those this mean, we cant promote amazon any longer with scripts and banners ?

 

No not at all. Banners should be fine. Sounds like the problem is just a few merchants displayed in the AWS script and only if the Netenforcer bots find the merchant's content on your site.

 

I heard from them directly about three of one of their clients products. They were still showing up in the datafeed but Amazon wasn't selling them anymore. I just blocked those ASINs and they were satisfied.

Richard

 

THanks Richard! Good to hear. On the AZ forum it sounded like people were having a hard time knowing what to do.

 

For this with Amazon affiliate sites consider adding this to your htaccess

order deny,allow
deny from 12.129.101.30
deny from 64.40.110.35
deny from 69.25.50.218
deny from 198.96.220.161
deny from 209.15.85.15

Code (markup):

 

So did Amazon get DCMA letters as well?