Yesterday I posted about an old domain of mine that was picked up by a squatter as soon as it expired. This squatter posted an exact copy of the website I had at the same domain name - with my name, business name and logo, and added several links to various questionable things... As I stated before, I don't care that he got my domain, but to use my name and copyrights was a little too far.

I immediately contacted the registrar and hosting provider for the site - neither of which were much help; until I issued them DMCA Take Down notices. Turns out that process works for the little guy too, not just big label music and movie industries.

The process is pretty clearly spelled out in the Wikipedia article - but here's the process in a nutshell.

If you believe your copyrighted work is being hosted in violation of your rights on some other server, and want the company that runs that server to take down the content - write a letter and include the following bits of info:

1. Your contact information
   • I included my full name, street and email address, as well as my phone number. The actual text of the copyright law says you must include name and address (email or snail mail) OR a phone number. Just enough so the parties on the other end can contact you.
2. Identify the material that you believe you own
   • I identified the entire website, and provided a link to the site as shown in the Web Archive as evidence that the content existed when the domain was registered to me.
   • If your content is a song or video or something, just identify it as yours, and provide some evidence to support that.
3. Identify the material in violation of your copyright
   • In other words, provide a URL to the material that's being illegally hosted.
4. Make a statement that the person providing the material has a good faith belief that the content is provided illegally (just a one liner)
5. Make a statement that you either own the copyrighted material, or are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner (again, a one liner)
6. Sign it! I wrote my notice in a PDF and signed it digitally using GPG. I also sent it to the hosting provider's legal representatives in a GPG signed email.

It took about 24 hours, but the site is now down. Go me!

You can save yourself some time on the phone by looking up where to send your DMCA takedown notice yourself - the US Copyright Office maintains a Directory of Service Provider Agents for Notification of Claims of Infringement. All hosting providers have to register a contact with them, and this is the person you'll need to send your DMCA Takedown Notice too.

It's also worth noting that if you omit any single piece of information, or send the DMCA notice to the wrong person, that it'll most like just be ignored - I'm sure many of these places are flooded with DMCA notices, and if it's not up to their exact legal requirements, they don't have the time or energy to come ask you to correct it.

So there you go - DMCA comes through for the little guy. Of course there's a caveat: the person who owns the domain now could file suit against me claiming he had a right to post that content - and I hope he does, because I could counter sue for defamation since my name was still attached. Sucker.

It came to my attention today that a domain name I had registered in 2006, itiesolutions.com, has been re-registered by a domain squatter. This person apparently picked up the domain the same day I had let it expire.

While I'm dissapointed I let the domain expire, fair's fair and it was my bad. I never made any use of the website, though I had intended to use it for my consulting business (of the same name). I had completed many successful consulting contracts while trying to build a name for myself, but then took positions in industry that required my full time and efforts. So I didn't need the website anymore.

What disturbs me, though, is that the new registrant is hosting an identical copy of my website, including my name, business name and business logo... with the additional of several links to sites promoting online gambling and drug purchases.

As the domain comes up in a search for my name, I felt it prudent to address this matter here.

Be it known: itiesolutions.com is no longer owned, maintained, or associated with me in any way. Cease and desist letters have been sent to the domain registrant, the domain registrar, and the hosting company. Hopefully appropriate action will be taken.