Forum: Author Hangout

near the bottom of that page is a Feedback strip with an option to report it as a copyright violation with a link to click on. However, when I did this in the past they wouldn't let me lodge a complaint unless I had an Amazon account and was logged in to ti.

Don't worry if you don't have an account. Several of us do, and can lodge a complaint on your account, list you as the source. But, as always, it's more effective if the injured parties speaks up for themselves.

In the past, the copyright thieves tended to take only the harder porn stories, but if we can get an idea of the kinds of stories being lifted, it'll help identify who's been impacted.

I never heard of Goodreads before, looks like half my stuff is there as well. Clearly SOMEone thinks my stuff is worth reading. (trying to keep some humor in this situation)

Time to take advantage of the site. Create an 'author' account (though you may need to have something published to do so), and then post how the only 'published' works were stolen from you.

Goodreads is an excellent way to make readers aware of you, though like most social media sites, you need to play the game (i.e. constantly rant about the latest books you've read, so readers keep checking in to see what you're latest post says). The payoff, though, comes with the active reviews.

With books published on Amazon, 20 to 25 reviews automatically generates "also bought" and "you might like" lists. 50 to 70 reviews produce book spotlight positions and includes the book in its newsletter. That said, it's difficult motivating readers to keep leaving enthusiastic responses.

I never heard of Goodreads before

Goodreads is related to Amazon, but it is not a book seller. Mostly it supports reviews of books by members and provides advertisements and links to Amazon related sites where the books can be purchased.

Remember Amazon doesn't want stolen goods for sale on their website because after you've informed them, they become abettors

That is not precisely accurate, Wayne.

If the original author files a complaint using their approved process, then yes Amazon will remove the book.

However, the original author can't just file a complaint using their process. The original author must have an Amazon account or they have to create an account or work through someone who has an account. That is the problem Ernest Bywater had. He didn't have or want to create an Amazon account.

If you or I had reported RedCzar's story was being sold on Amazon, they would have politely informed us that they will only accept reports of Plagiarism/Copyright Violation from the original author. Amazon would continue selling the stolen goods. That is what happened when I sent a list of 40 stories that had been stolen by Hooriya Ahmed from the original authors and posted on Amazon for sale. FYI, the information I sent Amazon to backup my accusation included the original author's name, the website on which the story was posted, and the date the story was originally posted.

Amazon removed Ernest story, but continued to sell the other stories on their site. When enough of the original authors filed Take Down Complaints, Amazon finally acknowledged that Hooriya was a Plagiarist and took down all her stories.

Amazon's policy of not acting on an accusation of Plagiarism received from someone other than the original author is unethical, but it does allow them to knowingly continue making money off of stolen goods.

Amazon would continue selling the stolen goods.

Isn't there a law against distribution of stolen goods? That would be like someone stealing a load of homemade goods and selling them through Amazon. Once they have been informed that the goods are stolen, they can no longer claim ignorance and should be charged as accomplices in the distribution of the stolen goods.

I know if I were to keep selling something that I know is stolen, I would get arrested. Of course, all those TOS agreements that are so complicated it takes a lawyer to understand and so long that nobody takes the effort to read basically gives them the right to not take responsibility for anything they do.

Physical goods, sure. Copyright law works differently. US copyright law generally, not just in the case of on-line sellers, explicitly only recognizes complaints from the copyright owner as legitimate notice for such secondary violations.

What's more, there were major exemptions carved out when the internet became a major commercial endeavor several years back. In general, websites aren't held responsible for what others do on their sites. They'll remove them if and when someone registers an 'official complaint', but they'll take their time, and pocked ALL proceeds rather than transfer them to the true copyright holder.

Prompt action on complaints from the true copyright owner is one of the requirements to qualify for the safe harbor provisions of the DMCA. Deliberately delaying after such a complaint could open them up to very expensive lawsuits.

Of course, you're correct. What seems like an unnecessary two week delay is actually their sending a message, stating the contention, and allowing the copyright thieves to state their case, and then pretending to consider each position—even though it's difficult to fake dates of publications. Still, they have a valid claim for purposefully delaying implementing the response by a couple week, each time it occurs! ::( (Rolling-eyes emjoi, for those of you who don't recognize the text variant.)

Wow, actual success! I just got an email from Amazon saying they are in the process of taking all of my stories off all Amazon sites.

Imagine that.

As I said, they do act, but you can't expect any immediate actions, as they have to notify the affected parties, allow them to defend themselves, validate the separate party's claims (however specious), all of which takes time.

He must not have had much of a defense because they are all off of there already. There is only one left but I think I left that one out of my original complaint.
And unfortunately everyone else's stuff is still up there. But I'll be watching in case any more of mine pop up.

That's actually typical. They (whoever is responsible for such claims) will typically respond to the specific claim first and foremost, since it's the most easily verifiable, and then the subsequent claims will take a little more time. Part of that is ensuring that it's not just a spat between two individuals (i.e. once the determine the plagarist has NEVER written anything of their own, they'll delete everything out of hand, as well as yank his account-holder status (which in the case of Amazon, is tied to your tax ID, thus difficult to hide).

Insane T's stolen material all seems to have been finally removed from Amazon. A shout out to RedCzar for bringing it to everyone's attention and a high five for anyone else who helped get this plagiarist deleted.

I think I tried that, but I didn't have enough "balance" on the account that I had just created to register the complaint.

I guess you have to spend a certain amount before they care about your opinion.

In a similar situation, I had someone not only 'publish' a book using a different name (but using my cover, complete with my name on it), but actually stole my ISBN I'd paid for (and had stupidly listed on my website before actually publishing the book). What I did was to 1) post reviews, stating that you're the true author, that the books published are a clear copyright infringement, and that readers shouldn't support the fake author, and 2) I changed the ISBN entry, declaring it an invalid copyright infringement, so that anytime an organization ran a check on the number, they'd see the message and (hopefully) think twice before considering accepting it.

Not sure it helped, but it's at lest a way of getting the word out.

BTW, if you want me to register the protest in your name (since I have a history with Amazon), I can do it, but as Ernest suggested earlier, I need to be acting as your 'representative' (i.e. you have to ask for me to present your case for you).

However, Amazon is notorious for not giving a shit about what author's think, and they'll only remove completely fraudulent books, after weeks of knuckle dragging, if they think it's likely to hurt their reputation by refusing to acknowledge the copyright abuse. They don't do it for the authors unless they create a stink about it!

That precisely why so many authors, and major publishers, refuse to have anything at all to do with Amazon.

Maybe it is because the writers here seem to care more about their stories.