Arrrgh! I've been ripped off!

[2strokebloke]

Today I picked up an issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic car magazine because it had an article about the 360 in it.
Having read it i decided to go back and review my old crappy website I haven't updated in like over a year ...
They took information from my website! How do I know? some of the information was incorrect and I had marked it down to be changed next time I updated the site - the incorrect information is in their article!
Okay that's not that bad - but here's the kicker - they took a direct quote from my website, and attributed it as having been said by somebody else. I know it could be a coincidence, but the punctuation is the same!
No I feel bad for having been a source of incorrect info, and also for being ripped off.

[2.2 Straight six]

write to them and demand they do something, if they dont do anything take an AK47 and go shoot up their office.

[Jet-Lee]

dude......you need to nail their asses for slander! err..whatever it's called when someone quotes you without permission.

I smell a big lawsuit!

[MagicRat]

Potentially its copyright infringement, for the quote used.

As for the information; one of the hazards of the web, as we know is the lack of creative control over the info posted.

IMO you should write to Hemmings and:
1. Demand an apology.
2. Offer to write an accurate article about the 360, and get paid for it, since obviously the writer they hired to create the article is a plagarizing jackass who does not check his sources.

Finally, many research organisations, universities etc do not permit web-based research (without independent varification) because it is often so inaccurate. Likely Hemmings will not be pleased with their writer for doing so.

[Toksin]

Contact them and demand credit for the article. If they blow you off, call your favourite lawyer.

You live in the states, copyright law is held in higher regard than anything else.

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by Toksin

Contact them and demand credit for the article. If they blow you off, call your favourite lawyer.

You live in the states, copyright law is held in higher regard than anything else.

I considered advising this route as well. The problem is some of the information in Blokes site is inaccurate. This is part of the proof the info was lifted from there .

Realistically, I wonder if credit would be warrented for inaccurate information. Likely it would be since arguably it's copyrighted regardless of accuracy.

Since 'blokes information was used by a writer and a magazine to MAKE MONEY, more than a credit may be warranted. IMO it may be reasonable to demand a payment for the info that was used.
The accuracy of the info may interfere with a financial claim, though.

Also, IMO any threatened legal action should be made against the writer of the article (as well as Hemmings), if he was not an actual employee of Hemmings.

[Toksin]

Well the thing is, in copying everything, including the typos and incorrect information, it's plagiarism.

You get fired/expelled/worse for that sort of shit.

[biggbabysweetz1]

happened to me too when i had a website, i just e-mailed em a nice little note they took that shit right off lol

[sameintheend01]

i see a serious potential for $$ to be made. I suggest you contact a lawyer and NOT the magazine.

[2strokebloke]

I never copyrighted anything because I wanted people to use the information freely. But it irks me because the writer didn't bother asking me about it (unlike others who have and I've had no problem with) if he had I would've noted what was incorrect to make sure that he didn't screw up his article. That irritates me more than the direct quote.
I will deffinately be writing a letter with the correction to their magazine though.

[2strokebloke]

I got into contact with the magazine and the author. they're trying to figure out "what happened" But at least they're being friendly about it.