How to Remove a Pirate Site from a Google Search

www removing a pirate site from searchI recently wrote a post instructing how and where to send a Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice when you find your work has been pirated. My experience has been that this is usually all that’s needed to ensure the offending site removes your content.

Usually, but not always. Some sites, particularly sites based in countries that don’t recognize U.S. Copyright law, may refuse to respond, or in some cases (as once happened with me), may respond to inform you that they don’t have to obey no stinkin’ law. Continue reading “How to Remove a Pirate Site from a Google Search”

My Book Is Being Pirated! What Can I Do?

DMCA TakedownYou’ve published your book, and as many authors do, you Google it periodically to see where it might pop up. Is it on Barnes and Noble yet? How about Kobo? As you scan the search results an unfamiliar site stands out. We’ll call it IStealBooks.com. (At the time of this writing, that wasn’t a real website. Let’s hope it’s still not.)

A quick search of the site shows your book is indeed listed, complete with a big, red, FREE DOWNLOAD button. Someone is giving your hard work away for free! Panic sets in. What should you do now? Continue reading “My Book Is Being Pirated! What Can I Do?”

Copyrights: Obtaining Permission (or not)

clipartSince making the decision just over a year ago to leave my small publisher and re-release my books under my own imprint, I’ve learned quite a lot about copyrights, both my own and those of other writers, musicians, photographers, etc. For example, just because it’s free doesn’t mean you can use it  Along those same lines, as discussed in my post Copyrights and Copywrongs, fair use may not always apply.

With this new knowledge in hand, I had to make some changes not only in my previous books, but also in one of my current works in progress. I wanted to use a quote from Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet, just a couple of lines, but wanted to make sure I followed the rules and obtained the appropriate permissions. I started by searching the Library of Congress database, but soon found that to be of little help. Gibran’s works have been published in so many places under so many formats, I was unable to pin down a copyright holder with any certainty. Continue reading “Copyrights: Obtaining Permission (or not)”

Copyrights and Copywrongs

Copyright logoI recently had the opportunity to ask Jared Spiegel, a New York based attorney with the firm Bowles Lutzer & Newman LLP, some of the most common copyright questions faced by authors. Many thanks to Mr. Spiegel for offering his time and expertise.

Indies Unlimited and Mr. Spiegel want to make it clear this information is not provided in the course of an attorney-client relationship and is not intended to constitute legal advice. This information should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed attorney in your state. Continue reading “Copyrights and Copywrongs”