Well imagine my surprise when I clicked on a website link to

discover that someone had not only copied my website to

their server - but was selling my eBook and undercutting me

in the process! Some dishonest person operating from Eastern

Europe had literally stolen my entire business and I

discovered it only by sheer luck.

After some very lengthy and threatening emails I got them

shut down, but the question remains, how safe is your

copyright online and what can you do to protect it?

Traditionally written works have enjoyed copyright

protection not only through the rule of law, but also

because of the physical difficulty in stealing another

person's work. Let's face it, photocopying a 200 page book

rates about as much fun as watching paint dry and at 5 cents

a page you're talking a quick ten dollar printing bill.

If you steal someone's book, print up a thousand copies and

try to get it onto the local bookstore's shelves, the

chances of getting caught rank pretty high.

But the online world has changed those rules and physical

safeguards significantly. The Internet, email and the Web

make it easier than ever to steal someone else's work. With

the most basic skills and a few mouse clicks, someone can

take your book, your website, and along with it weeks,

months, and even years of your hard work.

Though intellectual property and international copyright

laws apply to online works, enforcement of those laws is

expensive and, in many cases, hard to enforce.

Well don't despair, you do have options if you find someone

has violated your copyright online. Anytime I find someone

violating my copyright, which isn't very often, I take these

three steps in rapid-fire fashion.

First, make 100% sure the other person realizes they have

violated your copyright. You can send them a nice but firm

note telling them to stop whatever activity violates your

copyright. If that doesn't work move on to step two.

Second, once you know with 100% certainty they understand

they have violated your copyright, yet refuse to respond or

stop, you need to shut them down by eliminating their

ability to do business!

Send them an email with a carbon copy sent to their Internet

Service Provider (ISP), their credit card processor, their

web hosting company, and even the company that sold them

their domain name.

Finally, follow this email up with a hard copy letter to

each party sent via registered mail. In the email and letter

detail exactly how they have blatantly violated your

copyright and you want them to desist immediately.

By taking this approach you can often just bypass the

offending party because the companies enabling them to

transact business don't want any trouble. If you can show

copyright violation they will shut the perpetrator down to

avoid getting sued themselves.

Though not foolproof, this strategy can help you when facing

down a blatant online copyright violator. Just remember to

act quickly, thoroughly and don't hesitate to contact your

attorney for advice.

Author's Note: By no means let this article dampen your

enthusiasm for operating your business or selling your eBook

online!

In my opinion there is no better way to make a living!

Your copyright is basically as safe online as it is offline.

However, if a sneak thief entered your home - you'd call the

cops. Well, now you know what to do if a sneak thief ever

gives you trouble online!

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