Plagiarism Accusation

[LateStageInfernalism]

So I suddenly had two accusatory comments on my latest work, plus an email. All claiming that what I had written over the last month was stolen from years ago, and with no proof. This made me suspicious so I reported it to the support email address with link, which hasn't responded. I then did some searching of my own and found that someone is selling my work on smashwords.

This is for a story that was posted on Saturday. I'm curious if there is anything I can do or anyone I should notify here? It's pretty ugly that people would be doing this.

I can provide files with multiple drafts to admins upon request, I'm just at a loss as to what to do. Either these people are bad actors or simply wrong.

I really just got started here, posting my first story in late June. Any help from experienced content creators would be appreciated. Is there somewhere else that I should report this to? Is this common?

 

[SimonDoom]

So I suddenly had two accusatory comments on my latest work, plus an email. All claiming that what I had written over the last month was stolen from years ago, and with no proof. This made me suspicious so I reported it to the support email address with link, which hasn't responded. I then did some searching of my own and found that someone is selling my work on smashwords.

This is for a story that was posted on Saturday. I'm curious if there is anything I can do or anyone I should notify here? It's pretty ugly that people would be doing this.

I can provide files with multiple drafts to admins upon request, I'm just at a loss as to what to do. Either these people are bad actors or simply wrong.

I really just got started here, posting my first story in late June. Any help from experienced content creators would be appreciated. Is there somewhere else that I should report this to? Is this common?

There's not much this website can do about what people do on other websites. Contact the plagiarizer and Smashwords about the plagiarism.

I had a story here ripped off and posted on an off-site website. I immediately contacted the author and told them to cut it out. They did. The rip-off story's gone.

Try the direct approach first. It might work.

 

[oggbashan]

email links don't work. You have to send a PM (Private Message) to Laurel.

As for smashwords? You are on your own. Unless you can prove prior publication elsewhere smashwords is unlikely to act.

See the thread at the top of the Authors' Hangout for more information.

This thread:

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=1055555

 

[LateStageInfernalism]

I'm less concerned about smashwords because I'm not selling these (and I know that Literotica can't do anything about it). I'll still reach out to them as was suggested, but my biggest concern is to reputation.

People just randomly coming out of the woodwork to make accusations (with no evidence, naturally) on my first breakout sotry is more bothersome to me. I've sent a PM to Laurel (thanks again for the recommendation!) but again, not sure if I need to report the story or otherwise.

Thanks for listening, in any case.

 

[Kantarii]

At the end of the day, an unsubstantiated accusation is just that - an accusation. Burden of proof is always on the accuser. My 2¢entsKant

 

[KeithD]

Unfortunately, an unsubstantiated denial of a plagiarism claim isn't anything more. Unfortunately, the e-revolution has far outstripped the protection system provided for authors in the publishing world. The e-world is still the Wild West in this regard. Unless you've obtained a formal copyright in the States, you can't latch into legal remedies in the States. And even if you get a formal copyright, there's little way of catching up with the perpetrators and making them stop (and not just restart again) unless you can bluff them. And for the money you'd be talking about, action rarely is worth it.


I pretty much do the same that publishing houses do. I get it published first myself and take whatever profit there's going to be from it off the top. There then is little question who was first to the marketplace with it. (If they shell out for a copyright and you haven't, of course, it's now theirs.) The best way to get plagiarized works off of where money is involved--like Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords--is to have your own version there first. That's as good as having shelled out for a copyright at those distributors. If they already have a version for sale, they can easily understand they don't need a stolen copy on their list as well.

 

[NotWise]

So I suddenly had two accusatory comments on my latest work, plus an email. All claiming that what I had written over the last month was stolen from years ago, and with no proof. This made me suspicious so I reported it to the support email address with link, which hasn't responded. I then did some searching of my own and found that someone is selling my work on smashwords.

You are free to delete any comment on your own stories.

 

[Kantarii]

You are free to delete any comment on your own stories.

This is true. This site give absolute power to the author in that area. Kant
On rare occasions, I’ve seen comments deleted by the site when a person’s profile was deleted for abusive reasons, too.

 

[LateStageInfernalism]

Thank you, everyone. I appreciate all of the advice, support, and understanding.

My first impulse was to simply delete them and forget about them, but I was also worried that they might be needed by admins later.

I will likely do that and add a note saying that anyone can feel free to use the report story button at any time. That's what its there for, after all.

 

[NotWise]

Thank you, everyone. I appreciate all of the advice, support, and understanding.

My first impulse was to simply delete them and forget about them, but I was also worried that they might be needed by admins later.

I will likely do that and add a note saying that anyone can feel free to use the report story button at any time. That's what its there for, after all.

Don't go out of your way to help the complainers.

 

[ColetteJulie]

This is true. This site give absolute power to the author in that area. Kant
On rare occasions, I’ve seen comments deleted by the site when a person’s profile was deleted for abusive reasons, too.

Pity that doesn't happen in loving wives.

 

[Jada59]

Don't know what to tell you but that really sucks!