My website content has been stolen?

[saifi123]

Hello Guys,

  My website content & design are original and keywords ranking was well but  it has been stolen by others cheaters website, that's why my website ranking has drop down, Moreover, I request to cheater website's owner to remove my content & design from their website but they had not given any reply still, also I have complaint to Google for proper proceeding against cheater, and also I got disappointment from Google site and no any proper proceeding, Please let me know what step I do against cheater website.

[RH-Calvin]

You should be happy that you website design and content has been stolen. People are really jealous of your website creation. For content stealing and duplicating, just leave it to Google, the website will surely get penalized and banned soon. If the web design for your website is a copyright, then you can appeal your consideration with the copyright laws online.

[saifi123]

Thanks for quick reply, please let me know that is Indian people can do website copyright, if yes then what is process of copyright, please confirm me.

[jaintech]

Dealing with stolen website content can be frustrating. Here are a few steps you can take to address this issue:

1. dоcument the infringement: Gather evidence of your original content and design, including screenshots, timestamps, and any other relevant information that proves your ownership.

2. Reach out to the website owner: Continue trying to contact the website owner, politely requesting that they remove your content and design. Keep records of all communications.

3. Send a formal cease and desist letter: If the website owner does not respond or refuses to cooperate, you may consider sending a legal cease and desist letter, which formally demands the removal of your copyrighted material.

4. Report the infringement: File a complaint with the hosting provider of the cheater website. They may have a process in place to handle copyright infringement claims.

5. Submit a DMCA takedown notice: If the hosting provider does not respond or is uncooperative, you can submit a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice to the search engines (such as Google) or the website's hosting provider. This can result in the removal of the infringing content from search results.

6. Seek legal advice: If all else fails, consult an attorney who specializes in copyright law. They can guide you through the legal process and help determine if further legal action is necessary.

7. Monitor and dоcument the infringement: Keep a close eye on the cheater website and monitor if they continue to use your stolen content and design. Take regular screenshots or capture evidence of any ongoing infringement.

8. Report to Google again: If you have already reported the issue to Google and did not receive a satisfactory response, you may want to submit another complaint. Be sure to provide all the necessary information and evidence to support your claim.

9. Utilize online reputation management services: Consider employing online reputation management services that specialize in handling copyright infringements and protecting your online presence. These services can assist with removing stolen content from search results and mitigating the damage caused by the cheater website.

10. Strengthen your website's security: Take steps to enhance the security of your website to prevent future content theft. This may include using plugins or services that protect your website from scraping or copying, implementing strong access controls, regularly updating your software, and using secure hosting options.

11. Focus on building high-quality backlinks: Despite the cheater website's actions, focus on improving the quality of your website's backlinks. By obtaining genuine and authoritative links, you can potentially boost your website's overall ranking and credibility.

12. Raise awareness through social media and your network: Inform your audience, followers, and industry peers about the theft of your content. Sharing your experience on social media platforms and within relevant communities can help raise awareness and gather support.

13. Contact the advertiser: If the cheater website is displaying ads, reach out to the advertisers directly and inform them about the stolen content on the website. Many advertisers have policies against supporting copyright infringement and may take action to suspend their ads on the cheater website.

14. Utilize the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) platform: The DMCA platform allows you to submit a formal takedown notice to search engines like Google, which can result in the removal of infringing content from search results. Visit the Google DMCA platform and follow the instructions to report the copyright infringement.

15. Monitor your search engine rankings and analytics: Keep an eye on your website's search engine rankings and web analytics to understand the impact of the stolen content on your traffic and visibility. This data can be useful when reporting the issue to search engines or pursuing legal action.

16. Consider legal action: If the infringement persists and the other steps haven't been effective, consult with a lawyer who specializes in intellectual property law. They can advise you on whether pursuing legal action, such as filing a lawsuit, is a viable option for your specific case.

17. Strengthen your website's copyright notice: Make sure your website has a visible and updated copyright notice. This may help deter potential infringers and serve as evidence of your ownership in case of legal action.

18. Improve your SEO strategy: Focus on enhancing your website's SEO strategy by creating high-quality, original content, optimizing your pages, building authoritative backlinks, and engaging in ethical SEO practices. This can improve your website's visibility and mitigate the impact of the stolen content on your rankings.

19. Monitor and report to other search engines: In addition to reporting the issue to Google, consider reporting the copyright infringement to other search engines like Bing or Yahoo. Each search engine may have its own process for handling copyright complaints.

20. Leverage social media platforms: Utilize social media platforms to raise awareness about the stolen content and engage with your audience. Share updates about the situation, provide evidence of the theft, and encourage your followers to report the cheater website.

21. Explore online reputation management services: Online reputation management services specialize in monitoring and protecting your online presence. They can help detect and address instances of content theft, manage search engine results, and implement strategies to rebuild your online reputation.

22. Network with industry professionals: Reach out to professionals in your industry or niche who may have dealt with similar situations. They may be able to offer insights or advice on how to handle the copyright infringement effectively.

23. Consider watermarking or adding metadata to your content: To deter content theft, consider adding watermarks or metadata to your images or files. This way, even if someone copies your content, it will still be associated with your brand or website.

24. Educate yourself on copyright laws: Familiarize yourself with copyright laws and regulations applicable in your jurisdiction. This knowledge can help you understand your rights and take appropriate action against the cheater website.

25. Stay persistent and keep records: dоcument every step you take in addressing the copyright infringement. Keep records of all communications, responses, and actions taken. This dоcumentation can be valuable if legal action becomes necessary.

[chandanthaver]

he has stolen your content then he is not getting the rank but how it is possible your website have to to affected. i think it not possible.

[jannatul18]

The same thing happened to one of our site also. Actually not one but lots of people copy our website content. I guess Google give priority to the site which publish the content first. Besides that Google told that some extent of duplicate content dont hamper in Google ranking.

[Harikrishna Patel]

If you think your content is stolen, track those urls, and then you can do these things:

1. USE canonical tag, to inform Google that which content is original.
2. Use  Scrapper tool, and report to Google the URLs those are using duplicate content and rank higher than original content, with full details

[clrktsr]

Look at the brighter side, sweetie. Having your website stolen means you have a great website and content. If you have reported it already, then just wait until Google punishes that cheater.

[zanuda]

saifi123, I know it's kind of some time ago but you could also:
1. Report to the hosting of the "thief". A lot of hostings do not want to be blacklisted and they close such a sites
2. Report to Google (and other SE you have traffic from) that your site was copied. If #1 failed, mention it in the report.

Of course you need some sort of proof that original site is yours.

[Sap Solution]

According to my experience cheaters sites will be banned. Your contents are original and are also indexed first, therefore you need not to worry