Your Post Appears on Michael Koh 's ExpatsBA.com? File a DMCA.

[admin]

This is a continuation of our previous thread: "Posts from BAExpats Replicated on Another Forum."

To give you some background:

It appears that numerous posts from baexpats.org are now showing up on the ExpatsBA.com forum. This has come as a surprise to me and to many original posters. Some posts have been copied exactly, while others seem to have minor modifications, possibly made by AI. Several thread titles and URLs have been replicated as well. (See screenshots attached.)

Michael Koh, the owner of ExpatsBA.com, is aware of this situation and claims that he can't control what people post on his site. Apparently, the idea is that it's not him copying the posts from a competing website, but someone else doing it – perhaps some helpful Forum Elves.

Our member has inquired about how to file a complaint regarding this issue.

I see one of my posts was copied with my name slightly changed. Do you have any recommendations as to how I can challenge this person's use of my post without my authorization. I am a lawyer, but not in IP/Copyright issues. And I wouldn't know where to begin with respect to Argentina law. But if there is a way to make a complaint, I'm happy to do it. It's creepy.

Since it is the original poster who holds the copyright to the content of the post, he or she can file a DMCA notice with the hosting provider of expatsba.com and request the removal of their post.

It is the first time in our forum's 18-year history that I am making such a suggestion. I think that if we do not address this now, his "helpful Forum Elves" might not only copy posts but also file DMCA requests. And if we leave this matter unattended, that's exactly what will happen.

So, the other forum is apparently hosted by an American hosting company called Vultr.com. Below, I am providing a sample letter; you should enter your data about your content that was copied and email it to [email protected].

Please be aware that a DMCA takedown notice is a sworn statement and must be taken seriously. Ensure that all information you provide in your notice is accurate and truthful.

Thank you very much for your support!

------------------------------------------------

 

[admin]

========== BEGIN SAMPLE DMCA TAKEDOWN NOTICE ==========

Subject: DMCA Takedown Notice for Copyright Infringement
Attn: David Gucker, DMCA Agent.
Email: [email protected]

Pursuant to 17 USC 512(c)(3)(A), I am writing to notify you of a violation of my copyright under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) regarding content that has been copied and reposted without my permission. I am the original creator and copyright holder of the content described below and have not authorized its use on the website ExpatsBA.com, which is hosted on Vultr.com platform.

1. Original Content: The original content, which I authored, is located at [URL of Original Post on baexpats.org]. This post was published on [Original Post Date].

2. Infringing Content: The infringing material is found at the following URL(s) on your platform: [URL of Infringing Content on expatsba.com]. The content at these URL(s) is a direct copy/slight modification of my original post. [Provide any additional details, such as date of the infringing post, if the content was modified, etc.]

Please find attached a screenshot of both the original and infringing content for your reference.

I have a good faith belief that the use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by me, my agent, or the law. The information in this notice is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, I affirm that I am the copyright owner of an exclusive right that is infringed.

I request that you take immediate action to remove or disable access to the infringing material as specified above.

I may be contacted by the following methods (include all): [Physical Address, Telephone Number, and Email Address].

Regards,
[Your Full Legal Name]

========== END SAMPLE DMCA TAKEDOWN NOTICE ==========

 

[admin]

Some more posts have apparently been copied.

 

[sts7049]

claims he can't control? he is so full of shit

 

[admin]

claims he can't control? he is so full of shit

 

[nikad]

It is healthy having a variety of resources and each one can have its own style, then posters will atick to what they like the most. It really is a shame that this is happening, there is room for everybody. Hope it gets solved peacefully. Scraping however usually penalized by search engines.

 

[wineguy999]

View attachment 9363

I'm not posting there, and I don't much care for the handle he bestowed on me - Soytoy.

 

[JeffR]

I can't imagine why he thinks this will help his real estate business, assuming that's his goal. At least on the BuySellBA site the news sources are attributed, though I wonder if those publications know their stories are being republished.

 

[carride]

The issue with the BCRA is I must find every link of every post that is on that site to include in the BCRA. Perfect for those with important content they want to protect. Not great if many of your posts have been copied, or in case the very old interesting threads are copied over in the future.

 

[Ries]

thankfully, he seems to have no interest in my posts, as we do not share any common areas of interest.
I am interested in Art, Music, Design, Architecture, Culture, literature, history, and ideas.
He is interested in money.
The venn diagrams do not overlap, so I am blissfully absent from his self advertisment.