It pays to GOOGLE yourself

If you remember, a few years ago, people were illegally downloading and distributing popular music. Many of the musicians sued and won against the violators; I, like many others, thought the "pirating" was wrong, but didn't think it was any big deal. Funny how my attitutude changed shortly thereafter.

One lazy afternoon, about this same time last year, I was happily sitting at my computer, sipping on a glass sweet, and surfing the web. On a whim, I ran a search on myself using GOOGLE. I almost choked on my tea because of what I saw; my name was linked to an undesirable website. No way, there's no damn way I could be on this website. Yeah right, like there's just tons of people running around with my name.

Morbid curosity got the better of me, and I clicked on the link. As it turns out, someone had taken an earlier story of mine from an ezine I submitted to, and posted the story without my permission. I couldn't email that webmaster fast enough. Bless him, he responded immediately, apologizing profusly for what the person posting the story had done, and removed the post.

Two months later, ran another search, same guy stole another one of my stories and posted it on the same forum. Again I emailed the webmaster, again he apologized, removed the post, and sent me a copy of the email he sent to the member, threatening to terminate his membership.

Here's where it just gets to funny for words (I'm being sarcastic). The creep who infringed on my copyright, emailed me and said I should be honored he liked my story and I should stop picking on him. He violated me, and I'm picking on him?

A few weeks ago, I ran a search on myself. There, on another undesirable (when I say undesirable I mean very undesirable) website was the same story taken a year ago, posted by the same guy. Once again, I donned the "armor of self-justice," and contacted the webmaster of that site, politely asking him to remove my story from his. Weeks past, and he ignored my numerous requests; finally, I contact the US copyright office and the Texas Attorney General.

I sent one last email to the webmaster, telling him of my actions. This morning I got a very explosive email from him. Basically, --I'm cleaning up the language--he said he didn't give a rat's behind, and didn't see what the big deal is; that even though my story was under copyright protection, it wasn't violated because he made no money. He grudgingly agreed to take it down though.

He couldn't be more wrong.

According to the Copyright Office, from the very first second you put words on paper, your work is copyrighted. Reguardless if you pay a fee or not, it belongs solely to you, and no one may use it without your permissio; it is protected. However, you cannot sue an individual unless the work is registered with the Copyright Office.

I honestly didn't want any money, it was for the moral principal. Over reacting? Maybe; but I know now exactly how those musicians felt; violated.