Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement

As webmaster or owner of copyright you have a number of remedies available to stop plagiarism and copyright infringement of your work.

Sending a cease and desist letter to an infringer (as in our sample below) is just one of the options available to you.

stop sign with copyright

The Difference Between Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement

Although it may seem to be the same offence on the face of it, there are subtle differences and consequences for offenders.

Plagiarism most often occurs in an academic sense where the work or words or ideas of someone else is used without giving credit to the original creator.

There is a prescribed protocol to follow to credit the author and there may be penalties and disciplinary action by academic institutions for plagiarism.

Copyright Infringement and penalties are governed by law and may involve an expensive law suit if not settled out of court.

Webmasters may think that by using someone's work and then giving credit to the author, that they are not guilty of either plagiarism nor copyright infringement. This is not so!

But before you rush off to send your cease and desist letter!

Take a look at the alternatives and/or advantages of a C&D Letter

And if you get no joy even when sending a cease and desist to an infringer, there are other Copyright Forms (e.g. stating your case to the applicable web host and/or search engines) with guidelines on how to use them, in order to enforce your rights under copyright laws and the internet.

Notice of Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement

Date:

Sender Information:

Name - Webmaster: http://www.1.mysite.com

Email: admin@1.mysite.com

Recipient Information:

info@2.yoursite.com

Dear Sir/Madam

1. I am the owner of the Website http://www.1.mysite.com I am also the owner of the copyright in the material published on the Website.

The following is a list of the URL's for my pages or images which have been copied on your site(s).

1) http://www.1.mysite.com/page1.html

2) http://www.1.mysite.com/page2.html

3) http://www.1.mysite.com/page3.html

The above have been copied at the following URL's:

http://www.2.yoursite.com/ripoff1.html

http://www.2.yoursite.com/ripoff2.html

http://www.2.yoursite.com/ripoff3.html

2. This wholesale misappropriation of my copyright works has not been authorized by me and is an infringement of my exclusive rights as copyright owner. The infringement is also flagrant.

3. In the circumstances I demand that you immediately:

3.1. remove all aforesaid infringing material from your Website(s), and notify me in writing that you have done so;

3.2 undertake in writing to desist from using any of my copyrighted work in future without prior written authority from me.

I await to hear from you by no later than close of business on ___________________ 20____ failing which equivalent letters will be sent to:

* Your Web Host

* Your Domain Registrar

* Legal Support at Google and other Search Engines.

This is written without prejudice to my rights, all of which are hereby fully and expressly reserved.

Sincerely,

Name and electronic signature

***

Allowing three business days to respond to your notice of plagiarism and copyright infringement is reasonable. Or you may choose to simultaneously send letters to the other parties without waiting for a response from the infringer.

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