Cloned site / John Gilmore / dropsnap.co.uk

[dropped.uk]

John Gilmore has replicated my site, making a couple of minor tweaks and updated contact information.

I've traced back through the server logs and can see the scrape took place on 10th Feb by two IP addresses from South East Asia.

Can anyone confirm if they have had any contact with John Gilmore?
Has anyone experienced someone copying their site? How did you handle it?

Advice appreciated.

 

[Edwin]

Yep. There should be example DMCA takedown notices readily available if you Google them. Use one as the basis of your complaint (make sure you provide ALL the required information) and send it to the company behind the IP address. If the host is remotely reputable and you can substantiate your claim, they should take the site down within a couple of days or so.

 

[lazarus]

PMed you

 

[dropped.uk]

Thanks @Edwin and @amfletchers, I've sent a DMCA to the American hosting company the IP address belongs to. I'll wait to hear back.

@lazarus
His accredited channel partner tag is DROPSNAP. It hosts a single domain name, scaffoldservicesmidlandsltd.co.uk.

 

[lazarus]

UK websites on cheap US hosting.

Classy

 

[dropped.uk]

He's converted my plain HTML into a WordPress site, and had the cheek to call the theme 'dropped'...

Here's the theme screenshot.
http://www.dropsnap.co.uk/wp-content/themes/dropped/screenshot.png

 

[aZooZa]

Bloody horrific thief. I'd be furious. He'd be looking at a DDoS never mind a DMCA notice from me. After a 'polite' phone call, of course.

 

[RobM]

Is it worth reporting him to nominet to try and get his tag revoked?

 

[scottmccloud]

There's literally a handful of public dropcatchers in the UK, how the hell did he think that he would get away with blatantly copying a site word-for-word?????

 

[dropped.uk]

@RobM
I spoke to Nominet who advised me to submit through the DRS on the basis it 'confuses internet users' as the site is pretending to be another site. As it's purely a content copy, they wouldn't take any action.

@scottmccloud
His site has also been indexed by Google. I wonder if that will impact ranking?

 

[Lovekraft]

It's pretty concerning that John Gilmore runs a web design company, supposedly with "hundreds of happy clients".. things is, are most of those websites just clones too? My bet is they almost certainly will be if he is going to go down that route for one of his own sites.

Did he honestly think nobody would notice??

Here's his linkedin account:

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/john-gilmore-90306144

 

[aZooZa]

Looks like one of those elusive expats to me...

 

[dropped.uk]

DMCA notice to the host resolved the issue - advising they had contacted the site owner to remove the content within 48 hours, and I should get back in touch if the content remained.

Google also actioned a separate DMCA notice, and removed the content from search.

It took some time for all parties to respond, but they were more than helpful.

Thanks all for the support!

 

[lazarus]

Good Job !