Blogspot "Migraine Treatment and Symptoms" blog

I love my work -- love learning and sharing what I've learned so other people have better information for their struggle with Migraine disease and headaches.

Something I don't love, however, is having my work ripped off. Unfortunately, that's been happening more and more. The most recent culprit is whoever does the Blogspot blog "Migraine Treatment and Symptoms." I came across this blog through a Google Blog Alert on an article entitled "Abdominal Migraine What Is It?" That caught my attention because it's the title of an article that I originally wrote and published on About.com. The same article is now among my published articles on MyMigraineConnection.

This blogger doesn't have a profile on the blog, so there's no way to email or send them a message. So, I posted a comment to the blog asking that they contact me about the article. They didn't. They DID delete the comment AND close the blog to comments. They also published another of my articles, even giving the URL to the article.

It's possible that this person doesn't understand copyright law, but if that's the case, why delete my comment and close the blog to comments? I left my name. Copyright law does NOT say that it's legal to copy and republish an entire article. That is NOT "fair use." Fair use would have been copying and republishing a small portion of the article and providing a link for those readers who wished to read the rest. Posting the original URL or even the person's name doesn't make things legal either.

Obviously, this person likes my articles, or they wouldn't be copying them. If you like someone's work, don't you owe them some respect? It's hardly respectful to copy someone's work. If people don't visit my web sites, I won't have a job. Copying the full article is not only stealing my work, it means fewer people will come to my sites.

Google, who owns Blogspot makes it very difficult to report copyright violations. There's a long list of information that you must provide them with -- via snail mail or fax. They also say that anyone filing a copyright violation report that doesn't pan out will have to pay costs. Well, I'm going to take the time to do their onerous paper work because it's my work that's being stolen.

If you see something on my site or someone else's that you like and want to share, please be respectful and law abiding. Copy and paste only the first couple of paragraphs and provide your readers with a link to the original article. You'll be doing me and other writers a huge service.

Comments

[Megan Oltman]

Amen to that Teri! Thanks for being a stand for integrity in our world. You share your work generously and deserve to have credit for it and traffic from it!

[deborah]

Thank you, Teri. Your position as advocate for Migraine Disease has become far more than 'just' a voice . You deserve full representation for the work you've done for so many.

My sincerest apologies if I myself have done such brazen acts. to anyone!