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Web
Content Protection Services
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Before the advent of the Internet,
misusing copyrighted material was more difficult
- especially pictures.
But, the Internet displays an overwhelming amount of information and graphical illustrations,
making it much easier to steal copyrighted material with the click of a button.
Of course, theft isn't limited to the Internet, but it is a great part
of it. Printed articles, music, photography, paintings, etc.
are easy targets, with the
help of modern technology.
This all poses problems for the rightful owners of original works.
T-21
provides three programs, helping owners of original works
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protect
their work
from theft, prove ownership
of their work, and
enforce their copyrights.
Following are
examples, typical of the use of these
three T-21
services:
#1. REGISTRATION.
If a violation of your copyright
is found on the Internet and you have proof of ownership, the thief's Web Host, fearing a lawsuit,
often cooperates by immediately shutting-down the offending Web
Site. The key is providing
undisputable proof that you own it. T-21 can
help.
WEB
SITE CONTENT REGISTRATION: Proof of Ownership.
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Problem.
A Web-savvy owner of an on-line Photographic Art Gallery contacted
T-21 about protecting his images. To collect
royalties on copies of these images or sell full-rights to the
images, they had to be
displayed on-line.
He knew this invited theft, but saw no alternative.
When the owner found another Web
Site, illegally using some of his images, he located and contacted the
registered owners with his grievance - but was ignored.
Next, he lodged a complaint with the thief's Web Host,
requesting removal of the stolen material or termination of support for the Web Site.
The Web Host replied that
the Web Site owner claimed the images were his. In order
to take action against their client, the Web Host needed
indisputable proof of ownership, but the Art Gallery owner had only
his handwritten log as proof.
Relating the story to his
T-21 Team Manager (TM), the Gallery owner said, "I guess I figured they'd just take my word for it.
You know, I have a big product turnover in this business and can't afford to formally register each picture and sue every thief.
I don't know what to do."
Action.
His TM suggested that he use T-21's Original Works
Registration
program to document ownership of all his existing photographs
and all new pictures produced, before placing
them online. This inexpensive service would provide an
unbiased, third party authentication of his possession of each work on a given date.
The owner agreed and, over the next few weeks, his T-21 Registry Team entered
and dated copies of the original works from his Web Site into our
Registry Databases.
Results.
When a new theft
came to the gallery owner's attention, he contacted his
TM. The T-21 Registration Team made copies of the
purloined images from our Registry and prepared a notarized
Statement of Registration, detailing the items and the date of
registration with T-21. This documentation was submitted to the violator's Web Host, along with a request for removal of the stolen material or discontinuation of the Web Site.
The Web Host
stated that their customer failed to provide any certification of rights to
the disputed works and accepted the
T-21 notarized Registration as proof of ownership. According to their policy, they discontinued Web Hosting service for the offending site.
Note:
T-21 has also extended this Registration service to
others having problems with theft of printed material and original work on other
media.
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#2. PROTECTION
TECHNIQUES.
Prevention of theft is even better than forcing removal of your work from illegal
use.
No prevention scheme is 100% perfect, but there are techniques that will mitigate the problem.
T-21 can help make misappropriation of your work much more difficult for
Internet thieves. Here are two examples:
INTERNET
CONTENT THEFT-PROTECTION.
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Problem.
The manager of a tour-oriented Travel Agency contacted T-21 about repeated theft of
"destination photos."
She explained that her company went to great expense and trouble, producing original photographs for each tour package to display on the company's Web Site.
"We keep finding them on other Web Sites and my boss is
pretty angry about it.
He told me, in no uncertain terms, to 'do something about it.'
I've gotten some removed by complaining, but they just keep popping-up.
Can you help?"
Action.
First, her T-21 Team Manager (TM) suggested that her company use
T-21's Original Works Registration
program. He explained that this service provides
formal, unbiased ownership documentation of all their photographs,
for actions against future thefts.
Next, he proposed use of
special protection techniques for images on their Web Site, to discourage theft.
A T-21 Team provided methods to reduce illegal image copying, including:
sizing and resolution modifications, ownership masking,
image slicing, transparent overlaying, background imaging, and other protection measures.
Results.
The Manager had T-21 implement several of these techniques.
Over the next year, the Travel Agency monitored the Internet for new thefts and found none.
The office manager told her TM, "This is such a relief.
My boss hasn't even mentioned the theft problem in ages."
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WEB
SITE "HOT LINKING" PROTECTION.
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Problem.
A husband and wife team (both school teachers), offered fully
catered river rafting adventures each summer, during their break from teaching.
They photographed exciting events and scenic vistas on each trip, then posted them on their Web Site, to attract new customers.
When a regular client said that he'd seen their photographs on another company's Web Site, the owners contacted
T-21. They wanted to stop this illegal use of their photos and asked their
T-21 Team Manager (TM) for help.
Action.
Their TM advised them to register all photographs (both current and all future images)
with us, through our Original Works Registration
program, to help provide proof of ownership in future actions against thefts.
For the current problem, their
TM had an Analysis Team examine the problem and recommend
a course of action. The Team found that
copies of their images were not actually in the
thief's possession, but were "hot-linked" from their
Web Site and illegally incorporated into the thief's Web Pages.
Their TM
explained that this type of theft is common because it's easy, but could be
thwarted with relatively simple techniques. The Team forwarded instructions
and support material to them to
immediately stop the theft and prevent it in the future.
Results.
"The theft stopped immediately after we did what you told
us," the owners remarked to their T-21 TM.
"That was easy and actually kind of
fun. We've kept up the program and none of our pictures
have appeared anywhere else.
Thank you."
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#3. COPYRIGHT
ENFORCEMENT.
If you use T-21's protection techniques, the chance of having online images stolen is greatly
reduced.
If you do find theft of your original work, T-21's Registration
program helps provide proof of ownership, without
need of formal registration.
However, to press your copyrights, you must discover who the offender is and how to stop them.
T-21 can help: Our professionals know exactly how to locate and approach a thief's Web Host with a
theft complaint, and have them terminate support for the illegal use of your material.
Following is an example:
ENFORCING
COPYRIGHTS - Support.
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Problem.
A contractor owned a successful, "Do-It-Yourself" home-improvement
subscription Web Site. For a modest fee, he offered
access to an array of technical-help articles. He discovered, however, that content from his articles appeared,
word-for word, in the "Reference" section of another Web Site
that sold tools.
He didn't know how to stop this, so he contacted T-21.
Action.
He told his T-21 Team Manager (TM),
"I worked very hard on these articles, spent many nights getting them just right, so
almost anyone could do their own home improvement work.
Then, I find these guys using my stuff to sell their tools.
What can I do about this?"
His TM
explained that he should register all of his existing and
future material through
T-21's Original Works Registration program, to prove ownership in actions against future thefts.
For the current theft, the TM and the
contractor assembled evidence that could help prove ownership, and
amassed enough proof to file a complaint.
A T-21 Web Team located the Registered Owner of the offending Web Site and, at our client's request, contacted him.
Receiving no response, the T-21 Team located the Site's Web Host and filed a formal complaint about the purloined
material, complete with supporting documentation.
The complaint cited the applicable law, regarding the Web Host's hosting stolen copyrighted material.
Results.
Within the same week, the thief's Web Host e-Mailed T-21 to
apologize to our client, saying that they had discontinued service for the
offending Web Site. The contractor was elated about the news,
saying, "I didn't know if we'd get anywhere on this. You guys are
great!
Thank you."
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