Entirely Hypothetical
September 06, 2006
So let's say it's been brought to your attention (thank you, Interpid Internet People! I owe you a Coke.) that some loser on MySpace (I know! A loser! On MYSPACE of all places!) is stealing your writing and photos and manufacturing a nice little fake life for her fake self.
Let's say you report a couple copyright violations to MySpace. Let's say you didn't initially realize just HOW many entries she's copied because...well, it's a MySpace blog. Have you ever tried to navigate through those things? Do they make anybody else feel as old as I do? Or am I the only one who gets a headache from trying to read a red font on a black background floating over a photograph? While the Black-Eyed Peas are on auto-play in the background? Just me then? Fine, moving on.
Let's say you realize she's been posting your writing pretty regularly since at least June, which is when her entries suddenly disintegrate into day after day of cut-and-pasted song lyrics and seriously, if she's stolen shit before that you almost don't care, no way are you scrolling through yet another Elliot Smith song that just perfectly captures all the complicated hurts and feelings of some teenager for whom the fake life of a fake live-in nanny living in Vegas is pretty much the coolest and most glamorous thing EVER.
Let's say you also notice stuff that's not your writing, which obviously means she's plagiarizing multiple people because...please.
So with all that said, do you:
1) Break down and create a MySpace account so you can contact "Claudia" directly and ask her to take the offending posts down. Girlplease. Not happening.
2) Report the additional copyright violations. Wait a reasonable amount of time in patient silence to see if MySpace takes care of it. This would obviously be the most adult reaction, because while it's creepy as ALL HELL, she's not hurting you or anything, and really, it's fucking MySpace.
3) Take Yvonne up on her offer to "comment and go all Latina on her ass," because Yvonne has a MySpace account, HAAAA LOSER.
4) Stomp around in a petulant fit , post a link and unleash the Wrath of teh Internets on her. (She stole a picture of my TIRE, people. MY TIRE! I feel so violated.)
5) Stomp around in a petulant fit, post an entry without the link because you don't want to be some kind of Big Bad Blogging Bully, which accomplishes...pretty much nothing except to let "Claudia" know that you know and that you know she knows and that MySpace knows and seriously, knock that fucking shit off this instant.
I'm just wondering what you would do. In case, you know, this really happened instead of being entirely hypothetical.
Confidential to "Claudia:" There are no IKEAs in Las Vegas. Or even in the entire state of Nevada, dumbshit.
Post the link so the rest of us can see if she's stolen our shit to!
Holy crap, it's like some kind of innerwebs "Single White Female"! Did she say she had a baby, too? Named Noah? Freaking lunatic!
Let Y get all "meat club" on her ass.
In a really creepy sort of parallel thing going on, this also is happening to my best friend. some 14 year old stole her photos and is not only claiming they are hers, but also claiming my friend is a fake.
I think you should let Yvonne unleash hell on this brat.
LINK IT! Seriously. From one writer to another, that is so. not. cool.
:: off to search MySpace for Claudia character ::
Watch out, Claudia. Amalah's fervent followers are coming!
i hope you're getting screenshots. evidence, my friend.
ps: don't make fun of elliott smith. i'll cut ya.
I'll take options 2,3, and 5. But don't link her because:
a.) I have no desire to join MySpace just to gang up on some misguided teenager and get all pissy with her and fired up and righteously indignant over a MySpace blog of all things. And:
b.) I think its better not to bring more attention to people like that.
That said I would get vicarious enjoyment from Yvonne going Latina on her ass. She's already there and she can represent the Internet if she's willing...
Am I to gather that MySpace doesn't care a hoot about this situation?
I would be tempted to email Claudia a cut and paste of your copyright policy...
But, Yvonne would be more fun.
I vote for #4!
That is such a very odd thing to do. Who actually would look at your site and think, that, that tyre is the one for me. Everyone on MySpace will think that tyre is mine and I shall rule the world! Well, rule MySpace!
I think Claudia should get her own damned car parts.
(sorry for English spelling of tyre/tire)
Oh man we need that link pronto. I can get all AmsterDAMN on her ass!!
I think you should turn Yvonne loose on her! She stole a picture of the TIRE. That's sacrilegious!
o my good god... a tire violation, just so wrong. what a sad person with no life.
In an interesting twist an ex boyfriend of mine posted a picture of me… used his ex-wife’s name… and joined a gay-bi-married chat thingy with that information… and some of my writings. Just a little “Hey, it could always be worse/more embarrassing/strangely tire-related.”
Option three, definitely option three. In the hope that there might be aerobic dancing involved.
I'd post the link. I'm petty and bitchy like that. Just to let the person know, "Hey, I see you! And you suck! And all these other people? They see you and they think you suck, too!"
So mean, I know.
Dude, that's just creepy. Glad someone let you know though. I just don't understand the motive of someone copying someone elses blog entries - it makes no sense.
Good luck dealing wiht her, and hey, at least it makes good blog fodder, and she's not likely to copy this entry.
I would totally post the link. Then sit back and enjoy the show.
Oh, Amalah. WE NEED THE LINK.
I've got a MySpace, too, girlie, and I could have Y's back in a catfight ...
I tried to find her on myspace and the only "Claudia" in Vegas had her profile set to private. You cannot look at it unless you are her "friend". I might have the wrong person, though.
I'm sure MySpace will get around to it eventually, although I imagine they're probably swamped with this sort of thing. I'm just impatient.
No link, though, because yeah. What Megan said. This entry is probably already giving the poor thing too much of what she wants. I don't want her to be threatened or ganged up on or anything -- I just want her to...you know, STOP IT.
But if you know of a blogger who recently wrote a very funny entry about stumbling upon a woman giving a man a handjob in a parked car in the early morning and came up with the hilarious nickname of "Wankyjohn McPeckerpull," let me know so I can give them the heads up.
Heh. Just Googled that and found the original author. Oh Claudia!
i choose option 4 please. i want the link dammit!
also, what a sweet sweet revenge this freaking post its LOL
First: I feel incredibly uncomfortable on MySpace. The music, the fonts, the floating text, the ridiculous polls.
Second: Would it be reasonable to think she is SO reading all of this right now? I just want to see what she posts next, after she totally knows that you have FOUND HER OUT!
Third: How did you find her??
I agree with the other Megan, although it would be nice to use the brass knuckles, especially after I've polished them...
Nevermind, I just reread the first frickin' sentence. Disregard my #3.
:)
This sounds like a perfectly good excuse to make a road trip to Vegas. I am volunteering as your Bodygaurd/spokesgirl. What nerve of her, plagerism is so lame.
original authout of the McPeckerpull? here be the link... http://bonnehomme.blogspot.com/2006/06/lets-give-brooklyn-hand.html
Claudia steal this too?
Poor girl is probably just so pitiful that she needs to invent an awesome life and stole yours.
But I think Y should go after her with a beeflog. On MySpace, if course!!
holy crap! people are so fucking weird! i hope you get all this taken care of, and somewhere in there "claudia" gets embarassed as all hell.
I vote to let Yvonne loose on her, and let us watch. Or at least publish the link so we can check if she has stolen our stuff too! GOod luch hearing back from Myspace, yikes.
I'm just waiting for the word, and I will unleash My Latina on her and let her know that "We know" and "We no likey."
(p.s. is she hotlinking your pictures? which, haha, I don't even know what hotlinking means, but I heard that it's bad.)
Hmmm... this happened to me, and MySpace took their whole profile down right away. Have they not done this for you? I say you just ignore her beyond that -- why give her more attention than she's worth?
Obviously kind of a sad little creature, that Claudia.
I say link it. But only because I have unresolved anger issues and this could be cheaper than therapy for me.
Well Shit....
There goes my master fucking plan to be super cool like you...and your not alone on the myspace issues.
I would hire consumerhelpweb.com to get medieval on MySpace - not 'claudia'. It's MySpace's responsibility to remove the plagiarized content when notified.
A national news site plagiarized large portions of one of my Desperate Housewives quizzes. CHW got me 1. An apology. 2. The content removed 3. $100
It's myspace's responsibility to handle this kind of stuff in a timely manner.
Step 1. Post link.
Step 2. Lawyer involved. Because, seriously, you're a talented writer, it's not just a hobby anymore your writing is your career, and you should protect your biggest asset - your self.
Stupid girl needs to form an original thought of her own. Pathetic, really, that she needs a borrowed life.
I wouldn't worry too much about lil Claudia. She's only a kid, right? (I can only guess, I REFUSE to get a MySpace account). Sounds like she'll get an ear full from your fans regardless of your next step. I would like to know how you found her though....whatever politically correct/ adult like shit I just typed...I would like to see the link.
By the way, let me go on the record once more: I don't get MySpace, it makes me feel old, blah blah blah, but the powers that be at MySpace have done NOTHING wrong (yet). I only emailed them like...um...a few hours ago. I totally understand that it will probably take longer than that to yank this girl's profile down, and that's okay.
I'm the asshole with nothing better to write about today. Also, it IS pretty funny, right? Other people get like, pics of their kids stolen and this chick steals a photo of a SPARE TIRE and Ikea furniture? Ha! My life rules!
If the stuff stays up for more than a day or so, then yeah. I'll get mad at MySpace. But I didn't really give them a chance before vomiting the offense all over my blog, you know?
Homegirl, post the link! I think you probably have a whole lot of myspace users on here who will totally make sure she knows it is not cool to steal from you!
I'm on MySpace, and yes, we ARE too old for it. It's useful for internet stalking, though.
If I find "claudia" I'll happily help Yvonne out and get all Cuban Crazy on her ass. That's a lot of fun and helps me reduce stress.
OK, yes, I have a MySpace account...but in my defense, I just opened it last week...the peer pressure was just too much to handle anymore! Anyways, I have been FRANTICALLY searching for "Claudia" since this posted....PLEASE post the link...if nothing else, just for a laugh!
Do you read Secret Agent Josephine? She had a hilarious response to MySpacers who were stealing her photos as her own. I'm too lazy to go get the link to her post, but it was within the last week or two, so should be easy to find.
Whatever you do, I agree with those who said you need to protect yourself, especially now that you and your writing are your own brand, so to speak.
I got all paranoid a few months ago because my site stats showed that somebody was getting to my site through a search from MySpace and then I went and actually LOOKED at MySpace and holy crap, what is going on over there? Do people not realize that using their real name on the internet can be a bad thing and that future employers will be able to find them through Google? WTF?
I agree with Alicia though, now that you are a Real Live Paid Writer, maybe it's time for a lawyer to be involved. I usually mock anyone that pulls the lawyer card right away, but maybe that would make them get their asses in gear.
This is some creepy shit, right there. Let Y go after them, and then give us the link so we can see the aftermath.
1. I agree with Alicia. You get paid to write. There must be some element of copyright infringement here.
2. I have myspace, too. I'd have your back right there with Y and Broad. (Old Chicks Posse! OCP in tha hizzy! whut!)(Not that I'm saying Y or Broad are old...we're just more generously seasoned than the usual myspace crew. But GSCP doesn't flow so well.)
3. Why, when I did a search for Wankyjohn McPeckerpull, did Google correct my spelling to Winkeljohn McPeckerpull? Is this a very popular search which requires grammatical adjustment?
Un-freaking-believable. And pitiful. What could be the possible MOTIVE of stealing somebody else's life? It doesn't GET you anywhere.
I have a MySpace account for the sole purpose of reading my best friend's blog (she's a complete MySpace addict). I just have to go look in that "train wreck" kind of way.
Like I said it should of been named... Moronspace!
Nuf Said!
Psst... I'd probably do...2 and 5....and Maybe...3..lol I'd never link to the scum though... that brings them too much attention and often that's what they want in the first place.
i live in Vegas and thank for reminding me that we do not have an Ikea. It kills me. I love that store. "Claudia" Where is your Ikea? Can I see it too? Are we in it right now?
This happened to another blogger, and myspace never did ANYTHING about it. Hopefully they will, but there's almost 110,000,000 people on there. They can't watch/catch em' all. That's creepy and sucky. Sorry that happened.