Dear Sir, Is there any way I can get copyright of all the articles posted on my dynamic website launched about six months ago. A new website is continuously copying the contents from my website & posting it. I made a E-mail complaint to Google as well. Google replied me to write to them again by providing details of Copy right of my own content, which I dont have. Kindly guide me how to get copyright on articles of dynamically updating website. Thanks & regards
In many countries, you're work is protected by copyright the moment it's created. You don't have to register it. All you have to do with Google is file a dmca complaint to have the other site de-indexed from the search engines. Do the same with their host if applicable to try to have those infringing pages removed forcefully if they won't do it themselves. Also send a notice to any advertisers that site is using, and you'll hit them where it hurts - traffic and income combined. You don't need proof of copyright as in registration details. You just have to show that the work belongs to you (such as being published first by you).
This has happened to me, as well as my clients. Google will need to know when you published the articles first, and that it was before the copying person published them. They will then remove this site from their index.
I agree contact the other users host and threaten to sue the host. In my experience that will take care of the issue very quickly.
You don't have to threaten to sue the host. In many cases, just sending a dmca notice is more than adequate, and they'll get the content pulled. But if you want to get them de-indexed first or have them lose advertising accounts, save the host for last. You need that content hosted in order for the SEs and advertisers to see it.
What country are you located in? If it is the United States, and that other site is hosted from a US Server, the US Copyright law says you just have to be able to prove the first day you registered it, as well as provide a copyright notification (circle c or the word copyright with when it was copyrighted) Although I highly recommending you register it, as it will help should you ever decide to sue a host/infringer. It costs 30 dollars and you have to submit a copy. If you would like to know where just ask.
I stand corrected. If the work was published prior to the Copyright Act of 1976 it requires notice. However, anything after does not. But as stated above, it is beneficial to provide notice as well as register the copyright. For anything regarding copyright laws in the US, visit www.copyright.gov. (Can't post links yets )
Also, once the work is created it is protected under the copyright laws of the united states (if it falls under the jurisdiction of US Laws). A work is created once it becomes "fixed" as a copy or phonerecord.