Attention!!! Developers, Sim Owners, and Store Owners
COPYBOTTERS HAVE ESCAPED FROM EXILE!!
For those that don’t know what copyboting is, it allows the user to create a replication of an object, including textures, that is fully permissive. In other words they steal the hard work of others and pass it off as their own, and keep the profit…YOUR profit, for themselves. If you are not a creator, this affects you because you may be paying more money or less money for a knock off…and those who know the original creator, will talk about you.
On Friday, April 11, 2008 laurap linden stated the following:
- CopyBot Infringement – A Terms of Service Violation
- Finally, to reiterate our policy on CopyBot: Any use of it to make infringing copies of our customers’ e-houses violates the Terms of Service and may result in suspension or banning of Second Life accounts. If you believe that a Resident has used CopyBot (or a similar application) to make infringing copies of your content, please file an abuse report and provide as much information as you can to support your claim. Although technology can’t prevent the copying of data drawn on your screen, we don’t tolerate Residents who seek to profit from infringing use of CopyBot.
- We’re sometimes asked why Residents are allowed to have or sell copying devices. The answer is that there are legitimate uses of a copying mechanism. It’s the infringement that we don’t allow and won’t tolerate..
Thanks to Gok Artis here is the most recent copybotter:
ZoraPabst Resident
Profile:
secondlife:///app/agent/97cd4bec-c50c-4fa1-97fa-af0e2016a11a/about
Pic(s) of the product(s) in question:
If you have been a victim of copybotting you can report it.
A written notification must be made. This can be done either by fax or written letter (regular mail or courier). Emails will not be accepted unless a prior arrangement has been made. The notification must:
- Identify in sufficient detail the copyrighted work that you believe has been infringed upon (i.e., describe the work that you own).
- Identify the in-world item that you claim is infringing on your copyright, and provide information reasonably sufficient to locate the item in-world. For example “The allegedly infringing work I am referring to is located on the map area labeled ‘Freelon, 104,30,56’.”
- Provide a reasonably sufficient method of contacting you; phone number and email address would be preferred.
- (Optional) Provide information, if possible, sufficient to permit us to notify the user(s) who posted the content that allegedly contains infringing material. You may also provide screenshots or other materials that are helpful to identify the works in question. (This is for identification only, not to “prove” substantive claims.)
- Include the following statement: “I have good faith belief that the use of the copyrighted materials described above and contained on the service is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or by protection of law.”
- Include the following statement: “I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.”
- Sign the paper
Please note: The DMCA provides that you may be liable for damages (including costs and attorneys fees) if you falsely claim that an in-world item is infringing your copyrights. We recommend contacting an attorney if you are unsure whether an in-world object is protected by copyright laws.
Send the written document to the designated Copyright Agent at Linden Research:
Linden Research, Inc.
Attn: Designated Copyright Agent
945 Battery Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
Alternatively, fax the document to (415)520-9660. On the cover sheet, please write ATTN: DMCA NOTIFICATION
Ways To Protect yourself.
Be wary of Residents who are less than 60 days old, who do not have payment information on file, and who offer lots of content. Creating original content is time consuming! Look up the content creator using the edit tool to see if the profile looks like a legitimate content creator.
Turn off scripts.
H I P H A U S 