Comments on: A Call to Protect Copyright’s Answered

By: Patricia McLinn

Patricia McLinn — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 23:51:48 +0000

Hope other folks are having success using the follow-the-money method to hamstring parasites.

Just discovered another of my books at 4shared.com … it’s an ongoing battle!

By: Jill Gittins

Jill Gittins — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 05:39:30 +0000

This is such a great resource that you are providing and you give it away for free!! I enjoy seeing websites that understand the value of providing a prime resource for free. I truly loved reading your post. Thanks!

By: Tarra

Tarra — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 01:02:32 +0000

I’m about to try this with insurance.com over on Demonoid. Hope I have the same results as you do!

By: Nina Bruhns

Nina Bruhns — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:28:12 +0000

OMG Patricia! You are a goddess!!! What a fabulous idea. Always follow the money–such an obvious thing, but it took a genius to think of it! Thanks for coming up with our next weapon. One that might actually have a real impact.

You go girl!
Nina

By: Matt Bruce

Matt Bruce — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:47:15 +0000

Hi Patricia,

I viewed the HTML source of the page that displayed the ad. In their case, the relevant info was down near the bottom. Often ad network and that kind of info appears surrounded by comments, but not so here.

There may be online tools that you can use that make this easier, but your favourite search engine will be your friend with this, I’m afraid. As it will for finding the many and various ad networks out there.

Best of luck,
Matt

By: Patricia McLinn

Patricia McLinn — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:49:04 +0000

UPDATE VII: Dionne Colvin, Toyota National Manager Advertising, called back to update me.

She tracked down the ad and found it was not a national Toyota ad (her area), but rather an ad placed by three regional groups. Still, she followed up with those groups and they agreed to pull the ad off all three regions where it was running.

She said she relayed our concerns to these and other arms of Toyota.

GREAT!

P.S. Still waiting to hear back from GM. When we talked this week, she said the GMers she’d contacted hadn’t gotten back to her. Will call again next week if I haven’t heard anything.

By: Patricia McLinn

Patricia McLinn — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:41:08 +0000

Matt,

You are absolutely right about the ad networks. I’d love to contact some of them. (How did you conclude that Quantcast is the ad network for 4shared.com?)

Contacting the ad networks would reach more advertisers.

Contacting the advertisers reaches more ad networks, because (at least of the ones I’ve talked with) they use multiple ad networks.

It would be terrific to hit this from both angles. So any info you can share on determining which ad network is servicing a site would be very welcomed.

Also, if you or anyone else knows of other sites with mainstream advertisers — give a holler!

Thanks

By: Matt Bruce

Matt Bruce — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:41:41 +0000

As my understanding of website advertising goes, it seems most advertisers make use of ad networks (Google Adsense, Amazon Affiliates, etc) where the website owner and the end advertiser never even know of each others’ existence. This is also why many respondents here are seeing different advertisers. (It might not be the case here, but I would be surprised if they were directly-placed ads).

Wouldn’t a more wide-reaching and effective approach here be to find out what ad network this site is using (looks to be Quantcast at the moment) and raise the matter with them? They’re not going to like the idea of their advertisers being associated with copyright infringement, and such practises are likely to be a breach of their Acceptable Use Policies (i.e. presto kicko!).

That’s not to stop you from raising the issue with the end advertisers — as it may encourage them to make sure they only do business with ad networks who work actively to protect intellectual property — but there are a lot of major companies who use ad networks, and you’re only seeing a fraction with each visit.

By: Patricia McLinn

Patricia McLinn — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:59:17 +0000

UPDATE VI: Touched base again with GM and Toyota. Both say they are continuing to pursue it.

My contact at Toyota and I did some more checking. It could be that the ad was placed by a regional group (I’m talking with national), and she’s going to check into that.

Stay tuned!

By: Patricia McLinn

Patricia McLinn — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:19:55 +0000

Eva, my heart goes out to you and your family. Your situation shows the true cost of piracy.

If your husband was represented by an agent s/he’s office might be able to help you fight the piracy sites. I hope you are reaching out to any writer organizations your husband might have belonged to. They might be able to give you more ideas of ways to fight. And perhaps Authors Guild.

All my very best wishes,
Patricia McLinn