SSWT Internet Marketing Forum

Hi Rae,

Yip, it's really easy and simply

I filed for my copyright on 11/25/2003 and received final approval from the U.S. Copyright Office on 03/18/2004. During the wait you receive a Copyright Registration Pending graphic you can slap on your website.

Copyright Registration Pending Graphic:

(including warning message)

Federal Copyright Protected Graphic:

(BIG warning)

There's a few inexpensive pricing options and GoDaddy handled everything for me, including submitting my application to the U.S. Federal Copyright Office. A few days ago I received a hard copy of my application

As I understated it, your website, including ALL digital media sold there from, become copyrighted, and therefore any violation or copyright infringement is chargeable under U.S. federal law.

I personally believe that the graphics alone "should" be a massive deterrent to any wannabe thief.

I hope this helps

Actually, Rae, your website and all graphic, text and everything else is copyrighted as soon as you publish it. A registered copyright gives you more civil remedies against piracy but the act of publishing the website affords you copyright protection under current copyright laws. In fact, you don't even have to put a copyright mark on your work as copyright is assumed under current law.

The problem is, what do you do when someone violates that copyright?

Piracy is both a civil and criminal matter. The last time it happened to me I did the following:

#1) Documented the offense with video software. This included filming the offender's website showing my product and placing an order to show the order process he had in place.

#2) Contacted the local FBI office to register a complant and mailed them a copy of the video.

#3) Contacted the offender's web host, shopping cart provider and domain name registrar and let them know their customer was pirating my copyrighted material.

#4) Contacted an attorney who sent a cease and desist letter.

This particular "gentleman" was a fairly well known marketer and I knew he had sold quite a few of my products. That is why I went after him so aggressively. In the past I have caught a few small time crooks reselling my material and I simply send them a cease and desist letter myself. In this case I felt the "gentleman" was willfully and knowingly violating my copyright (he was also selling other's copyrighted material as well) and that he was simply playing the odds that I wouldn't do anything.

Through all this I have learned that the best defense is a good offense. If the crooks think you will cause them any trouble they will leave you alone.
So I now include a PIRACY NOTICE on my ebooks that reads...

WARNING TO COPYRIGHT PIRATES AND THIEVES:
READ THIS BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO RESELL THIS PUBLICATION:

(PUBLICATION NAME) AND EVERY WORD, SENTENCE AND IMAGE CONTAINED WITHIN ARE COPYRIGHTED.

IF YOU PLAN TO STEAL THIS PUBLICATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF RESELLING IT EITHER ONLINE OR OFFLINE YOU WILL BE CAUGHT AND SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.

WHAT KIND OF CONSEQUENCES?

FIRST, I WILL MAKE A VIDEO RECORD OF YOUR OPERATION INCLUDING YOUR WEBSITE, SALES MATERIAL, EMAIL PROMOTIONS, AND/OR OFF LINE PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL. THEN I WILL CONTACT THE INTELLECTUAL CRIMES DIVISION OF THE CHARLOTTE, NC OFFICE OF THE FBI AT 704-377-9200 AND PROVIDE THEM WITH A COPY OF THE VIDEO EVIDENCE.

THEN I WILL INSTRUCT MY ATTORNEY TO FILE A CIVIL LAWSUIT AGAINST YOU IN FEDERAL COURT FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT CARRIES A PENALTY OF UP TO $100,000 – MORE IF THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER CAN PROVE A BLATANT DISREGARD OF THEIR RIGHTS.

FINALLY, I WILL CONTACT YOUR WEB HOSTING COMPANY, DOMAIN NAME REGISTRAR AND CREDIT CARD MERCHANT ACCOUNT PROVIDER TO HAVE YOUR OPERATION SHUT DOWN.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT: (MY EMAIL ADDRESS)


Hope that helps,

James

HeHeHeHeHe

Hey, I got my "Certificate of Registration" from the Library of Congress today.

Now can I use the Graphic that Andre linked to here: http://www.c-site.starfieldtech.com/approval.aspx

Or is that only for people who go through a particular service? I filed mine directly with the Copyright Office.