We recently released a Marketing Tip regarding steps you can take when your unique content is stolen and placed on someone else's website.  Please read the informative article written by guest columnist, Bill Koelzer, just a few weeks ago. The article contained helpful links on how to locate 'web pirates', how to find individuals who have stolen your content, and how to protect the content you have created. 

This week we will go over in further detail some examples of how web content can be stolen in the first place. It seems lately the more we discuss the importance of copyright protection, the more we have been hearing about regular occurrences of stolen content. We can't seem to emphasize strongly enough that copyright infringement is a very serious offense.

Copyright Infringement is a serious offense.

Think about this statement.  What does it mean? 

When you are browsing through the Internet thinking about ways to improve your Internet presence, it is definitely NOT acceptable to use your mouse to 'copy' and 'paste' someone else's information to your own website.  Many of us enjoy browsing other websites on the Internet to get ideas about what you would like to include in your own.  After viewing other websites in your industry, you can get an idea of what you like, and you this can help you achieve a better concept of what you would like your website to become.  

It is both illegal and immoral to take others’ unique content and ideas and pass them off as your own. So, to protect yourself from copyright claims, at all times you need to make sure any additional content on your website was either (1) written by you; (2) paid to a third party to be created for you; or (3) you have been given permission by the author to display the content on your website.

The ramifications of stealing or borrowing content to add to your website are immense.  First of all, it is just plain wrong.  You can also run into legal fees, damage to your personal reputation for displaying stolen content on your website, and search engines can possibly penalize you for having duplicate content.

Take a good hard look at your website if you have added supplementary information.  Where did the information come from? Did you write it or pay for it to be created?  If someone browses through your website are you absolutely sure that you created everything yourself?  Do you have proof?

Advanced Access is a strong advocate for the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.  We host the websites of over 28,000 real estate clients across the country, providing a template website model so that our clients can easily add or change content.  As diligent advocates for copyright protection, Advanced Access's policy is to remove and otherwise destroy all content within its clients’ websites that it finds to be in violation.

If you find an Advanced Access website owner who has stolen your content, we would advise you to send them a notice immediately requesting removal.  If at that time they do not comply, please send a notice to Advanced Access with the following:

- An electronic or physical signature of the owner or of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest;.

- A description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed, and a description of the infringing activity including of where the material which you claim is infringing is located on the AA Site sufficient to allow us to locate the material; 

- Identification of the location where the original or an authorized copy of the copyrighted work exists, for example the URL of the website where it is posted or the name of the book in which it has been published, your address, telephone number, and e-mail address; 

- A statement by you that you have a good-faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and 

- A statement by you made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner's behalf.

This information should be directed to Advanced Access at the following address:

Advanced Access
8101 East Kaiser Blvd., Suite 300
Anaheim, CA  92808

Email: Info@AdvancedAccess.com

If you find a website owner who has stolen your content and they do not reply to your request letter, we would advise you to see who they are 'hosted' with and if their web host will comply with the DMCA.  They may be able to remove the information for you. 

As always, we appreciate your business and support.  If you have any questions, comments, or thoughts please direct them to our Customer Support Department at Support@AdvancedAccess.com or (800) 335-1563.
 

"Dear Andrea,

I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for all your assistance in setting up my web site. Your help has been above and beyond the call of duty. It has been a real pleasure working with everyone I have been in contact with at Advance Access and especially you. I hope the company realizes what an asset you are to them. I will certainly recommend Advance Access and you to anyone who is looking for a web site. I just can't imagine a better product or staff. I look forward to speaking with you again in the future and thank you again for all your help."

Ron Miller
 

Scott Taylor says:
"I really appreciate your customer service, Your people, (especially Kevin Herzer), are so eager to help. I've had other real estate website in the past, Homes.com, Realtor.com, and your product far exceeds what they offer, Thank you so much!"

Ray Pendleton says:
"The site is great and you have done an excellent job of getting me started. I imagine I will have some questions, but so far I'm very pleased."