Saturday, June 30, 2012

Getting the Blogger Team Runaround on an Imposter


A couple of days ago, I discovered by chance, during a Google search for one of my blog posts, that the fellow depicted above had copied all of Gypsy Scholar from 2005 through 2011 and renamed the blog "Hendown." I reported the copyright infringement to Blogger, and the following emails were exchanged:
Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us.

We have received and reviewed your notice. In order for us to investigate the appropriate content and take further action, please provide us with the specific URLs of the posts where the infringing content is located. You can obtain the post URL by clicking on the title of the post or the time-stamp found at the bottom of the allegedly infringing post(s). Also, if you are the copyright holder for this content, please provide us with a link to the original source of the copyrighted work that you claim has been republished without your authorization. This will help us further investigate the issue and take the appropriate actions.

Thank you for your cooperation in this regard.

Regards,

The Google Team
I replied:
I already provided that information. Just follow the links that I gave. You'll see that the person has simply copied my blog from 2005 - 2011 and claimed it.

Jeffery Hodges
The Blogger Team responded
Hello,

Thanks for your reply.

As previously stated, in order for us to investigate the appropriate content and take further action, please provide us with the specific URLs of the posts, not just the blog, where the infringing content is located. You can obtain the post URL by clicking on the title of the post or the time-stamp found at the bottom of the allegedly infringing post(s).

Thank you for your cooperation in this regard.

Regards,

The Google Team
I attempted reasoning with them:
I see. You want me to provide seven years of blog-post URLs. That would be, roughly, 365 x 7 = 2,555 URLs. I think you can now see the problem.

Jeffery Hodges
The Blogger Team responded:
Hello,

Thanks for your reply.

The only way for us to investigate the appropriate content and take further action, is if we are provided with the specific URLs of the posts where the infringing content is located. You can obtain the post URL by clicking on the title of the post or the time-stamp found at the bottom of the allegedly infringing post(s).

Thank you for your cooperation in this regard.

Regards,

The Google Team
This was becoming irritating, so I wrote:
I don't need instructions on how to obtain a URL. I am telling you that there are roughly 2,500 URLs for the seven-year period. The individual has reproduced my entire blog from 2005 to 2011 and claims to have written the posts.

Jeffery Hodges
The ever-helpful Blogger Team replied:
Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us.

You can now submit your DMCA infringement notice to us at

Blogger Site

Submitting a notice online ensures the quickest handling and processing of your request. Please use this online form to send us all future DMCA notices. Thank you for your courtesy and cooperation in this regard.

Regards,

The Google Team
I looked at the site and replied:
What you suggest below is precisely how I initiated this complaint of copyright infringement.

Let me put this as plainly as I can. My blog is Gypsy Scholar, and here is the address:

Gypsy Scholar

Someone who calls himself "dhul" has copied my blog from 2005 to 2011 and renamed the blog Hendown:

Hendown

That would be about 7 years worth of blog posts, or nearly 2,500 posts, each with its own URL.

Here is the "User Profile" of "dhul":

User Profile

Blogs claimed by "dhul":

* Kecekel Ndown Blogs
* AMEET BLOG
* OKER OKREK
* HENDOWN
* IWAK SEPAT'S
* LEMU - LEMU
* Christmas Graffiti Creator
* Krishna Radha Wallpaper DK
* Racing Car Wallpaper-hd
* DJI SAM SOE BLOG'S

Note that he lists ten blogs as his. The link for Hendown leads to a copy of my blog, which he calls Hendown, as I have already noted:

Hendown

Compare his entry for December 16, 2011 with mine for December 15th, 2011:

Korean Unification Gang

Korean Unification Gang

This is just one example. There would be nearly 2,500 in all, as I have said above.

Since "dhul" has clearly copied my blog (and probably nine other blogs), what is Blogger doing to stop this imposter?

Best Regards,

Jeffery Hodges
The Blogger Team replied as I had come to expect:
Hello,

Thank you for your reply.

We will not be taking any action on your request unless you are able to provide us with the precise post URLs of each alleged instance of copyright infringement along with a corresponding original source URL for each allegedly infringing post. If you are unable to provide us with this information, we will consider this matter closed.

Regards,

The Google Team
I responded one final time:
I am not unable to supply URLs, but that would be inefficient for both me and The Blogger Team since I would have to send 2500 URLs and your Team would have to check each one individually. I have supplied enough information for your Team to recognize that Hendown is a copy of my blog Gypsy Scholar from 2005 to 2011. The Blogger Team need only look to see, but a click on the links provided seems not to fit the Team's protocol.

You may consider this matter closed, but I consider it open for blogging about.

Best Regards.

Jeffery Hodges
And that's where things stand. Blogger will do nothing to stop an imposter from copying your entire blog unless you report the specific URL for each individual post. No exceptions. They won't even take a look. My experience with The Blogger Team was like dealing with a machine: no imagination, just protocols . . .

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28 Comments:

At 12:18 PM, Blogger Kevin Kim said...

Very frustrating. Sorry to read about this.

 
At 12:38 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

It was as if they couldn't understand simple English.

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 1:29 PM, Blogger ilTassista Marino said...

This really goes beyond imagination. We all know there're guys out there who copy/steal materials from "their neigbour's" websites... but, a whole blog for seven years...!!!
And the Blogger 'experts' replying in perfect Beckettian style... It would be really funny, if it were not so sad.

The only positive things is that, in one way or another, your ideas circulate. All in all, ideas live beyond - and outlive - their 'makers.'

 
At 1:38 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Actually, I think it's really funny.

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 1:47 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Methinks ("praps, praps" as that literary Lord of the Rings character might've put it - something's fishy here)

Copy the comments too?

Might get in touch with our NYC 'friend'?

JK

 
At 1:58 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

I didn't check on the comments, but I don't recall seeing any.

No need to involve our mutual friend in NYC. He might get a kick out of the insanity, though!

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 5:50 AM, Blogger Katherine said...

You know the phrase "careful what you wish for"?

I would just send them all the links they wanted.

All.

It would be a pain for you but it would get your point across pretty well.

 
At 6:08 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

You know Jeff, Katherine's suggestion makes a wacky sorta sense - nope, I'm not available for enlistment - anyways, surely you've got some "off months" that leave you with time on your hands.

Keep you from having to watch Dancing With The Stars re-runs.

(Just be certain you do it in Word in case you have to go to the bathroom and the Norkies shut your electricity down. Might use a flashdrive in case your computer gets fried.)

JK

 
At 6:47 AM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Katherine, I had actually considered that, but I fear the pain would be all mine, for if I did go to that much trouble, they'd quickly shift tactics.

But it would feel great to dump 5000 links on them . . .

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 6:49 AM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Off months? You know better than that, JK. Why, I have stories I could tell . . .

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 1:55 PM, Blogger Katherine said...

Send them 5000 links in 5000 different complaints. Just to mess with 'em.

But I'm the kind of spiteful person who would (and has) gladly cut off her nose to spite her face, hahah.

 
At 2:20 PM, Blogger ilTassista Marino said...

yep, I also would 'bury' them under a waterfall of messages.

 
At 2:36 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Or, Katherine, I could get 5,000 friends to go to Hendown and click on "Report Abuse" . . .

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 2:38 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Except, Dario, I don't have 5,000 friends. If only my enemies . . .

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 2:51 PM, Blogger ilTassista Marino said...

Well, I will immediately start. Just 4,999 lacking.

 
At 2:58 PM, Blogger ilTassista Marino said...

gasp! in order to let you report an abuse, as a third (and not last) step, they ask for a copy of one's ID card!

 
At 3:25 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Really? Interesting . . .

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 5:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hmmm Jeff, just recalled a post from a 'friend's' blog - something about certain "words or phrases that attract Janet Napolitano's attention."

So, just as a little experiment:

GOOGLE BLOGGER TEAM ALLOWS MALWARE IIED (Improvised Internet Explosive Device) to gateway access to the Internet via an Imposter Blog set up by a Serial Copyright Infringer calling himself dhul. Proof? Google "Hendown" (without the quotes).

Now Jeff. Think of me when you sit to knock back a few cold ones. Maybe Janet Napolitano will be of more help than Google's Blogger Team. Bet she won't ask for an ID.

JK

 
At 5:49 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Better yet - now I see Google saves comments - Google, "Gypsy Scholar, GOOGLE BLOGGER TEAM ALLOWS MALWARE IIED" (without the quotes).

Oh. You drinking beer ain't gonna help me much. Plain brown envelope - you know my zipcode Jeff.

JK

 
At 5:52 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

I'll consider your suggestions, JK, especially the one about drinking beer.

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 1:47 AM, Blogger ilTassista Marino said...

Beer patiently the wrong in others.

 
At 3:54 AM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

I'll drink to that.

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 11:58 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Last month I made a mistake of setting my date of birth on 2012. Google suspended my account and threatened me with canceling it altogether, even though I've been paying for it with my credit card for the last 3 years! Had to copy and email my ID not to lose my photo archive - hundreds of pictures. I was ready to wage war against them :)

Jacek

 
At 12:52 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

War is what I feel like waging, but they own my weapons.

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 3:37 PM, Anonymous Renee said...

GASP...I would be so flattered if someone copied anything of mine for 7 years....... but alas.... this hendown must have no life to be simplying trying to take credit for yours.

 
At 3:53 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Renee, if Hendown needs to copy my life, he is of all men most to be pitied!

But he's claiming TEN blogs as his own! He might have some ruse going. Maybe he hopes to make money through ads . . . except that he doesn't seem to be doing that. Not yet, anyway.

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 4:25 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Betcha those responses were sent by an outsourced customer service rep in India. I nearly quit buying from Amazon because of a frustrating circular exchange with someone who was paid to read inquiries and send standard replies.

Sonagi

 
At 4:26 AM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

I've wondered about that, too.

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 

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