What To Do If Your Blog is Scraped

A few days ago, while checking my daily traffic report, I’ve noticed a new traffic source.
When I checked out the site, I found out the dude is actually scraping all my content to his own blog.

For those who don’t know what scraping is, I’ll explain.
Since the era of RSS feeds, there’s no problem to write a script that will read a blog’s feed, and repost all the content on another blog. This way, each time I post anything new, the scraper sees it, and posts the exact same post on his own blog.

Warning: include() [function.include]: URL file-access is disabled in the server configuration in /home/svarogg/public_html/wp-content/plugins/runPHP/runPHP.php(383) : eval()’d code on line 3

Warning: include(http://cashcook.info/adsenseskyscraper.php) [function.include]: failed to open stream: no suitable wrapper could be found in /home/svarogg/public_html/wp-content/plugins/runPHP/runPHP.php(383) : eval()’d code on line 3

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening ‘http://cashcook.info/adsenseskyscraper.php’ for inclusion (include_path=’.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php’) in /home/svarogg/public_html/wp-content/plugins/runPHP/runPHP.php(383) : eval()’d code on line 3

In the beginning I was annoyed, was afraid that now his readers will be stealing my bandwidth, downloading my freebies, and will not get to see my intriguing Adsense Ads.
However, after some research, I realized I can use this for my own advantage.

First thing I’ve done, is going to my cPanel, and setting up “HotLink Protection”. Now each time anybody tries to download anything from my site from a domain that is not CashCook.Info, he’ll be redirected to my homepage(http://cashcook.info/). So if any of the scraper’s readers want to download anything, they’ll be redirected to my homepage, will have to use the search option to find the product, and meanwhile, check out my precious Adsense.

But things don’t stop here. From now on I’m going to make more and more references to my old posts, so that when the new posts are scraped, the scraper will also link to my old posts, giving me some deep links, which will in turn improve my off-site SEO.

And finally, I am going to post affiliate links on CashCook.Info from time to time, and guess who will be distributing them all over the net? Yup the same scrapers whose only intention is to steal my content.

Warning: include() [function.include]: URL file-access is disabled in the server configuration in /home/svarogg/public_html/wp-content/plugins/runPHP/runPHP.php(383) : eval()’d code on line 7

However, if your content was scraped, and you still dislike the idea despite what I said earlier, there’s a very good way to fight the scrapers.
Just drop a quick mail to their host, saying the guy is stealing your intellectual property. Mention phrases like “copyright infringement”, and all those other words lawyers love, and I doubt any body will continue scraping your content for long after their host threatens to close their account.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, June 9th, 2007 and is filed under Blogging.

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4 Comments »

Comment by Ollie Parsley

2007-06-09 13:33:01

There is another way that can help your site out. Try using the MORE tag, or make a way so that a user has to click MORE to read the rest of the post. They will then be redirected to you. There is a way of doing this in Feedburner aswell as wordpress. I’m not sure about the others.

Ollie

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Comment by Svarog

2007-06-09 16:19:11

Interesting idea, but I don’t think I want to use that.
The “more” tag makes blog surfing much more annoying and uncomfortable. I don’t want to loose readers because the surfing is not as comfortable as possible.

Better write posts that will give me an advantage to me even if it’s not read from my site.

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Comment by :)

2007-06-12 12:02:56

c’mon dude, you share stolen content, why you make a noise that someone steals from you? anyway the way to make a profit from that is perfect!

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Comment by Svarog

2007-06-12 14:32:53

First of all, I don’t share stolen content. All the stuff I share I have Resale Right for, and second, I didn’t say that I don’t like the idea that anybody steals stuff from me, on the contrary, I’m happy they do.

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