NONE: ONLINE-ADS>> Web Page Piracy
ONLINE-ADS>> Web Page Piracy
Mark J. Welch, Esq. (markwelch_at_ca-probate.com)
Mon, 17 Feb 1997 12:07:51 -0800
Regrettably, the advent of paid advertising on the internet
has been rapidly followed by criminals seeking to steal
money. Over the past several months, three different
users copied my web page about banner advertising
and posted it as their own work, adding paid and exchange
ad banners from the Commonwealth Network and the
Internet Link Exchange. In each case, I had to spend
considerable time, effort, and money to squelch the
infringement -- but in each case, the ISPs and the
ad networks quickly responded to prevent any profit
from the infringement.
Today, I received an email from "jdjones02_at_sprynet.com"
asking me to add a link to a web page at his site that lists
"adult banner ad" programs. To my surprise, when I
visited the page (http://www.aftersundown.com/webhelp.html),
I found a page that is a direct copy of the "Adult Money
Report" at (http://www.alexas.com/advert/). While I have
no "stake" in either site, given my own experience of having
my page thrice pirated, I am offended whenever someone
pirates the efforts of others.
I have watched the "Adult Money Report" slowly grow and
develop over a period of months; I know the author has put
in a lot of time and effort. It upsets me to see someone go
out and rip that off -- especially, as in this case, where the
infringer has literally copied the page, including the typos
and strange HTML coding style. The only change made was
to replace the true author's contact information and to delete
the new-entry submission form.
Web page piracy is a combination of FRAUD, THEFT, and
COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. I urge members of this
list to be alert to any acts of "web page piracy" and to
immediately report such incidents to the true author of the
page, to the infringer's ISP, and to any advertisers or
ad networks that have been duped into paying or trading
ads at the pirate site.
In his Internic registration, the pirate is identified as
"Jack D. Jones" and he lists an address in Mooresville,
North Carolina but a telephone number in British Columbia,
Canada (it's the number for TopChoice.Com, an ISP).
I had assumed that "Jack D. Jones" and "Danny and Robin
Jones" (the names used by the pirate in email) were
pseudonyms; but there is a person named Jack D. Jones
at 149 Green Dragon Court in Mooresville, NC 28115
(the address in the Internic registration); his phone
number is unpublished.
Any ad networks and advertisers on this list should check
their records to see if Mr. Jones or a similar name or
address is signed up with their ad networks; if so, I urge
you to investigate whether you are supporting an illegal
activity. If you find that an affiliate of your ad network
or company is engaged in web page piracy, please take
immediate action to terminate all contracts with the
offender.
-- Mark J. Welch, Attorney at Law, Pleasanton CA
-- http://www.ca-probate.com 510-462-8483
-- This email is NOT legal advice, and is NOT confidential.
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