Comments on: Turn Off Your Comments or Get Out Your Checkbooks http://www.dcrblogs.com/2010/12/01/turn-off-your-comments-or-get-out-your-checkbooks/ Motivating readers to believe, act, and achieve by looking at life with wit, wisdom, and engaging creativity Tue, 22 May 2012 15:59:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: dcr http://www.dcrblogs.com/2010/12/01/turn-off-your-comments-or-get-out-your-checkbooks/#comment-31283 dcr Wed, 01 Dec 2010 18:38:37 +0000 http://www.dcrblogs.com/?p=3486#comment-31283 By putting up a website or blog, you become a publisher and you become liable for the content published on your site, which includes user-generated content. Now, typically, a copyright holder will contact you and have it removed, without going through the trouble of a lawsuit. Lawsuits cost money and most people will avoid it if they can. In Righthaven's case, however, the newspaper sold their copyrights to this firm that then turns around and sues anyone who has their content appearing on their site. According to the Wired article, they appear to be targeting those who don't have a registered agent. So, who knows how long it will be before others follow suit? And that's the crux of the matter. The DMCA gives you a safe harbor against being sued for stuff like this, however, it appears that recent court rulings have determined that you must have a registered agent in order to meet the qualifications of the safe harbor provisions. Thus, it is important to spend the $105+ to register. By putting up a website or blog, you become a publisher and you become liable for the content published on your site, which includes user-generated content.

Now, typically, a copyright holder will contact you and have it removed, without going through the trouble of a lawsuit. Lawsuits cost money and most people will avoid it if they can.

In Righthaven’s case, however, the newspaper sold their copyrights to this firm that then turns around and sues anyone who has their content appearing on their site. According to the Wired article, they appear to be targeting those who don’t have a registered agent. So, who knows how long it will be before others follow suit?

And that’s the crux of the matter. The DMCA gives you a safe harbor against being sued for stuff like this, however, it appears that recent court rulings have determined that you must have a registered agent in order to meet the qualifications of the safe harbor provisions.

Thus, it is important to spend the $105+ to register.

]]> By: meleah rebeccah http://www.dcrblogs.com/2010/12/01/turn-off-your-comments-or-get-out-your-checkbooks/#comment-31282 meleah rebeccah Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:30:00 +0000 http://www.dcrblogs.com/?p=3486#comment-31282 what the what? How can YOU be held liable for OTHER people's actions? I do NOT understand THAT at all! what the what? How can YOU be held liable for OTHER people’s actions? I do NOT understand THAT at all!

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