Ok, just found a site that is completely ripping off my site. This copycat site is 99% my content. They have tweaked a few words here and there, but they are clearly stealing my stuff. In the past, I have written to people that have taken too much of a page or have mispresented my content. That usually worked. This seems like a different kind of copyright violation - clearly premeditated. I am thinking about firing up Torpark or another anonymous proxy and blitzing their adsense ads. I would feel bad for the advertisers, but am assuming that Google will detect the pattern of clicking and invalidate those clicks. Then the a$$hole that stole from me will have to deal with Google, and Google will be more interested and less forgiving than if little ole me filed a DMCA notice. What do you think? Is such a course of action right or wrong? Is it a good idea?
I would just contact him directly to see what his response is. If he doesn't respond, then go to google and his webhosting provider. Use that only as a last resort in my opinion... even though it is irritating.
Check serps and complain to google before doing the click fraud. This way the site in question is on the radar to them. You are likely going to get a better response from their host (if it's not a personal server). They will yank a site in a hurry. Losing their adsense account would be much more painful to these people though. I dont' suggest this type of action though. It would be, however, very gratifying I'm sure. Are you outranking them at the moment?
Yes, I outrank them by quite a bit. So it is not an immediate threat. I am going to take down the adsense on my site before I do anything - this ripoff artist seems like he is a MFA jerk, and my concern is that if I play by the rules, he will continue with his innapropriate conduct and attack me. It is not a personal site - it is a free hosted one. So I might post anonymous comments for him, then go to his host before I get more vigorous. I did more research and found he has only been ripping me off for the past ten pages or so. Before that he was ripping someone else. Which is good, because he will soon realize he has many potential enemies.
Good will see site as duplicate content and sooner or later remove the site. Your site will be seen as original content since it has been up longer. You could email the free hosting site they might take the site down for you.
My opinion would be why lower yourself to he's level, contact the host, if it's free they will prob do more as they have nothing to lose in the way of revenue. Happened to a friend of mine once he contacted the host as the actual person didn't respond and they removed the site within 24 hours.
I understand your advice, and previously, I have taken the high road. For some reason, this time I had a tit-for-tat reaction, just want to go vigilante on him. But I probably won't, as there is no need now. You mention "people having nothing to lose" as a factor that influences their behavior. True for the host, who will likely comply, and they won't take it personally. But if it is a young kid/immature adult whose site gets taken down and he loses his adsense revenue (along with losing his dreams of adsense, which are probably much more important emotionally), he might think "what do I have to lose if I _____" and then I have more headaches. That is why I would rather not deal directly with this person, who seems to be immature AND a poor speller judging from the sections he altered. I simply do not trust peeple who kant spell. I think I will anonymously email the other copyright holders to let them know their content has been purloined. Three of them are major media corporations. I think they will probably either solve the problem for me, or at least soften him up and keep him from focusing on me.
I agree with the above comments to contact the owner first and then the webhost. The host should take down the content if the user refuses to, and it will be more effective than simply getting rid of his adsense, especially if that nets him only a couple cents per day.
you wouldn't be able to click his adsense ads with a proxy anyway as proxies disable javascript..and more importantly advertisers would be losing a great deal of money..so don't do it.