PSA: Protect Your Blog!

People always say "oh that would never happen to me." They usually say it about something tragic... "A car accident? Oh that would never happen to me." "Cancer? Nah, that'll never happen to me." It's been said about almost anything and everything.

"Having content stolen from my blog? Nope, that wouldn't happen to me."

Or at least, that's what I thought until just a few nights ago. I'd heard about some copyright infringement issues, but I figured "well, I have a disclaimer/disclosure page, so that will cover me if anything happens. Of course, nothing is going to happen."

And it happened.

I Google my blog once in a while just to see what comes up about it... usually it's just posts from my blog or guest posts I've had on other blogs or places where I have my blog profile up (bloggers.com, blogaholic.com, etc.)

So when a post of mine showed up on a site I never recognized before? I got kinda scared...

I clicked on the link and it took me to this other blog that had a post of mine IN ITS ENTIRETY posted there. My pictures. My words. My everything. It was a weird feeling, seeing something I had written on a site it shouldn't have been on... clicking on the pictures took me to some spam site. Not what I had when I initially posted it.

I did more Google'ing to find out what I was supposed to do in this situation. I was able to file a DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) infringement complaint with Google for them to look into the matter. Filling out the forms was a pretty serious matter. I had to give them my full legal name, explain/describe the content that I was claiming was mine and show where it was originally posted as well as sharing the information for the infringing site. (note: I would've contacted the owner for the other blog first to request it be removed; however, there was no contact information that could be found).

It's a happy ending story in that Google responded in less than 24 hours and removed the content from the other site (thank you, Google!) I was very impressed with the service, and it's caused me to become more aware. Aside from just my disclaimer/disclosure page, I've also registered my blog with Copyscape.com and MyFreeCopyright.com. I just don't want to take any chances of something worse happening in the future.

So, take this as a warning, dear friends. Anything can be taken from the Internet and claimed as someone else's. You can't stop everyone, but you can take the proper steps to try to protect yourself.

Have you ever had any issues with someone stealing your content or re-posting without your permission?

Valentine's Day Reflections

via Disneyclips.com

Do you remember being in elementary school and making Valentine's Boxes? You know, some place for all your classmates/friends to deliever Valentines to you? Mine was always out of a shoebox with red, pink, and white construction paper. I remember cutting out hearts and using a glue stick and glitter to make that box so perfect. I was always so proud of my creation! Then I'd take it into school and there was always the one kid that did something super fancy like using aluminum foil to make it all shiny. Or the kids who clearly had their parents make their box for them. *sigh* Suddenly, my homemade, hand crafted Valentine's box was just not nearly as exciting as I thought it was.

Doesn't stuff like that still kinda happen to us even now? Not the Valentine's boxes (though, I really do wonder what would happen if I put a box on my desk at work? Would people give me Valentine's or little notes of affection? lol) but that there's sometimes we work really hard on something and are so proud of what we've done, just to see someone else have something better. Or someone else has something that was just given to them. After all our work...

It's frustrating! You start to wonder why even bother if after all that work someone else is still going to be better than you...

It's a saying we've been hearing for years and years and years, "It's what's on the inside that counts." And just like the Valentine's box, it didn't really matter what the outside looked like, the important parts were all on the inside--the card, the candy, the sweet notes from friends, the possibility that maybe that boy we liked dropped a card in the box, too;) Those were the things that mattered!!

So maybe some girl has more shoes than you or a more expensive purse. Maybe her hair is shinier and her waist skinnier. Maybe someone has a better job/house/husband/child/car/nose than you, but it really is what's on the inside. Focus on the things that make you happy!

Happy Valentine's Day! May your day be filled with love for YOU--who you are and what you have:) Because you are simply amazing:)

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Even if you are a shoe box covered with construction paper, glue stick, and glitter:)