Getting Sued because of a Myspace layout?

Discussion in 'Legal Issues' started by FireStorM, Sep 23, 2006.

  1. #1
    I have a friend who has a myspace resource site , he just got a mail telling him he will now be sued for having a myspace layout in his site which is not his property ..
    In his site , there is the text "All Trademarks are owned by their respected owners. All graphics copyright by their respected creators" .. This is not enough? :rolleyes:
     
    FireStorM, Sep 23, 2006 IP
  2. INV

    INV Peon

    Messages:
    1,686
    Likes Received:
    101
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #2
    He should take the layout off.
     
    INV, Sep 23, 2006 IP
  3. Nonny

    Nonny Notable Member

    Messages:
    2,093
    Likes Received:
    120
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    210
    #3
    Copyright is just what it sounds like - the right to make copies. Your friend should not have anything for download that he does not explicitly have the right to make copies of. That means that your friend should only have material that 1) he created himself 2) that is explicitly in the public domain or 3) that he has explicitly been granted the rights to make copies (for example, by purchasing the rights). If he does have permission to use the images and text on his site, he should clearly state that somewhere, so there is no confusion.

    I don't know much about trademarks, except that trademark holders have to vigorously defend their trademarks, or they could lose them.

    Even if your friend isn't sued, his web host could take down his site. I would say that it's just not worth it.
     
    Nonny, Sep 23, 2006 IP
  4. slinky

    slinky Banned

    Messages:
    717
    Likes Received:
    26
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #4
    I'm not sure I understand and want to get this straight.

    (1) Is the layout his property or did he take it from someone else?

    (2) Does the layout include graphics or some identifying mark that makes it pretty simple to tell where your friend may have taken the materials from? A generic layout isn't usually copyrightable but something tells me that there is a substantial similarity of something more complex.

    (3) Are you stating that putting up that text is like a disclaimer, that you can use it because you're giving some anonymous person credit for the materials that you are ripping off and including on your site? I hope you're joking.

    Common sense dictates that taking the property of others at their expense (you aren't paying for it but they have) you should expect someone to come after you for your wrongful action. It scares me to think that anyone could even attempt to justify stealing and try to pass it off as innocent behavior.
     
    slinky, Sep 25, 2006 IP
  5. fryman

    fryman Kiss my rep

    Messages:
    9,604
    Likes Received:
    777
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    370
    #5
    Funny how all the time the crooks and thieves end up being "my friend", "my neighbor", "my dog"...
     
    fryman, Sep 25, 2006 IP
    Mia likes this.
  6. slinky

    slinky Banned

    Messages:
    717
    Likes Received:
    26
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #6
    Or the source of that great advice. LOL :D
     
    slinky, Sep 25, 2006 IP
  7. Namesniper

    Namesniper Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    365
    Likes Received:
    1
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    118
    #7
    he should remove that layout
     
    Namesniper, Sep 26, 2006 IP
  8. johniman7

    johniman7 Peon

    Messages:
    245
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #8
    ^^lol

    I would just remove it if I were you. It isn't worth the battle you will face if you don't.
     
    johniman7, Sep 26, 2006 IP
  9. Mia

    Mia R.I.P. STEVE JOBS

    Messages:
    23,694
    Likes Received:
    1,167
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    440
    #9
    Beaten to the post again..

    Ditto:eek:
     
    Mia, Sep 26, 2006 IP
  10. godinu

    godinu Peon

    Messages:
    203
    Likes Received:
    3
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #10
    I've seen quite a few posts in forums lately about people with a "myspace resources site" copying someone else's layouts and giving them away on their own pages and getting in trouble for it. Most people who spend a lot of time on (web design, myspace layout, whatever) wouldn't be too happy with someone else jacking their design and putting it out there for free without their permission. Most people who spend a lot of time doing a unique layout do so for the sake of being unique and not one of a million cookiecutter layouts.
     
    godinu, Sep 26, 2006 IP
  11. Slackware

    Slackware Peon

    Messages:
    31
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #11
    1- put a submit your layout form and abuse form to the site
    2- Disable search engine cache ( <META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="NOARCHIVE"> )
    3- When you sure the s.e cache is disabled email the guy ;

    We are sorry that layout was user submitted , sorry for that issue we are removing the layout now.byeeee :p
     
    Slackware, Sep 26, 2006 IP
  12. abe

    abe Active Member

    Messages:
    200
    Likes Received:
    5
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    58
    #12
    porbably not worth the hassle
     
    abe, Oct 1, 2006 IP
  13. Kyle H.

    Kyle H. Active Member

    Messages:
    839
    Likes Received:
    13
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    78
    #13
    What is exactly was Myspace suing him for?
     
    Kyle H., Oct 5, 2006 IP
  14. xharrisonx

    xharrisonx Peon

    Messages:
    524
    Likes Received:
    14
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #14
    whats he going to sue for?
    i mean its 1 layout not 4000000layouts!
     
    xharrisonx, Oct 5, 2006 IP