Fake Websites: Dealing With Copycat Sites And Pages
Fake websites and webpages come in many forms and are generally created to harm legitimate brands in some way. Brand owners are often left infuriated and feel helpless when fake websites spring up, especially on an ISP who does not respond to your requests to remove or delete the infringing content. Fake websites and pages can include:
Copied content, images or products.
Carbon copies of your website, css and messaging.
Use of logos.
Advertised products.
DMCA And Your Rights
What is the DMCA?
- The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a U.S. law from 1998.
- It helps protect copyright holders online.
What Does the DMCA Do?
- It allows creators to fight against unauthorized use of their work online.
- Creators can issue a “takedown notice” to remove their work from websites that use it without permission.
Issuing a Takedown Notice:
- If your work is used without permission, you can send a takedown notice to the website’s hosting service.
- The notice must include your signature, details of your work, and a statement that the use was not authorized.
What Happens Next?
- The hosting service should quickly remove or disable access to the content.
- But, there’s a counter-notice option for those who believe their use of the content is legitimate.
