Throw Your Own Barbecue Party 51baoma - Why is a BMW Focused Web Site Stealing Foodie Content?

Well, shut my mouth . . . as they say in the South when something doesn't look right.

I was surfing online and came across some interesting barbecue stuff. The articles were especially interesting, because they were mine. My name wasn't mentioned. My blog wasn't mentioned. The articles were just plunked up in full with the photos on 51baoma which is a web site about cars (BMWs specifically). What's an annual party here in my hometown with photos of the locals have to do with BMW cars, I have no idea.

To start with, I just found one of my barbecue articles stolen. After some research, I found that I could put in my URL at CopyScape and see the top ten hits with matching words. The service has an upgrade to find more stolen content.

In addition I spot checked some of my barbecue articles. I simply copied unique sentences (that's where Southern talk comes in handy) and put those in Google.

I don't know that I found everything 51baoma stole, but I did find three articles and two of them with home/family photos.

The first suggested step is to get in touch with the web site owners about such matters. They list no contact information. I looked them up and discovered they are based out of China. Hum. Perhaps I could fly over and give them a piece of my mind.

Here is the 51baoma company information online. All it takes to get that information is to put the company URL in Domain Tools Look Up. In this case, it didn't help much, since they are in China.

They did have comment sections, so I did note that the content was stolen. At least the readers of those articles will know. I've not heard from the site, so I would guess they just add comments to appear to update content and keep high Google ranks.

The next step was to fill out a Google report under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). That includes a number of items and must be mailed or faxed in rather than emailed. If the claims are not true, then you can be held responsible for legal fees. That's fine. I know it's my work. The photos are clearly mine. No one in China was snapping photos here in a town of 800 people at a community picnic.

It took me a while to wade through all this, so I will provide my research and DMCA report here for others who are dealing with stolen online content:

1. The copyrighted work at issue is the text that appears on the following blog – Barbeque Master by Cyndi Allison:

My blog:

http://barbequemaster.blogspot.com/

The following posts were copied and posted without permission:

Play with Your Food and Friends at Food Buzz
http://barbequemaster.blogspot.com/search?q=food+buzz

Southwest Virginia – Jewel Ridge 4th of July Celebration (including the photos)
http://barbequemaster.blogspot.com/search?q=southwest+virginia

(Note: I did link this one, so readers can see that pieces are clearly copied along with the photos. See the actual post of the Jewel Ridge Virginia Fireworks for comparison. It's the same - photos and all. Please don't give them a lot of visits. That's what they want when they steal content.)

Fun for the Whole Family at Mr. Shaver’s Yearly Barbecue Picnic (stole photos too)
http://barbequemaster.blogspot.com/2008/09/fun-for-whole-family-at-mr-shavers.html

2.

Search – I’m not sure how I stumbled on these, but I also went back to www.copyscape.com to double check. Then I ran lines of content and easily pulled up these articles, since they were not changed at all. They just cut and pasted the articles and put them on the BMW site (which has nothing at all to do with barbecue cooking).

The site stealing content is:

http://www.51baoma.com/

These posts are copied from my blog in full including the photos as noted.

Play with Your Food and Friends at Food Buzz
http://www.51baoma.com/index.php/article/shows/2008-09-15/85.html

Southwest Virginia – Jewel Ridge 4th of July Celebration (stole photos too)
http://www.51baoma.com/index.php/article/shows/2008-09-15/84.html

Fun for the Whole Family at Mr. Shaver’s Yearly Barbecue Picnic (stole photos too)
http://www.51baoma.com/index.php/article/shows/2008-09-15/86.html

3. My contact information:

Cyndi Allison (removed this part for obvious reasons)

4. The site is based out of China. I could not find any way to get in contact on the site or by searching for company information.

I did leave messages in the comment sections letting them know that the material is copyrighted and not available for use.

5. "I have a good faith belief that use of the copyrighted materials described above as allegedly infringing is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law."

6. Include the following statement: "I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed."

7. Sign the paper.

Cyndi Allison

Here's where you send such reports to Google:

Google, Inc.
Attn: Google Legal Support, DMCA Counter Notification
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043

OR fax to:

(650) 963-3255, Attn: Google Legal Support, DMCA Counter Notification


In addition, the offending site does use Google AdSense. Nate and Annie were kind enough to give me the Google AdSense Report Form URL.

That's very easy to fill out - much easier that the DMCA report. It's also online, so you don't have to fax or mail.

Basically you just put in the page URLS where sites are violating the terms of AdSense. Stealing the work of others clearly is a violation.

Update: I did get an auto email back from Google Adsense quick report form (don't ya just hate those). That directs me to do the DMCA which is the longer and more detailed report that must be mailed and/or faxed. So, the Adsense report may work for some issues, but if it's copyright, then you're right back at that long form that I put up as an example.

Mine is in the mail by the way.