Someone copied an entire original page of mine and republished it 3 years ago

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  musicdoc1 · Member · May 29, 2014 at 5:52 am

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  Today I found that my page “Reefer Songs” (http://songbook1.wordpress.com/pp/fx/reefer-songs) which I originally published in July 2010, but which has been updated numerous times since then, was copied as a whole and republished on another site in 2011.

  The copied page was published by Madeline Burke (http://cirkusberserkus.ning.com/profile/madelineburke) on April 20, 2011 at 11:19a under the title “Happy 420! Smoke ’em if ya got ’em!,” though my original title appears as if it is a subtitle. I do not personally know Ms. Burke, the blogger who without permission, or even the courtesy of a request for use of a portion of the original page, copied and republished the entire page. I was not asked for permission to have that page, or any other page or post of mine, republished elsewhere, nor am I happy with discovering this theft.

  The page I refer to is relatively large one. There were 27 images and 28 videos copied as well as text identifying and describing the songs, songwriters, recordings, artists, etc. included or represented in the images (mostly photographs) and the videos. However, Madeline Burke’s copy of my original page presently has some images and videos missing because she hasen’t kept up with my updates: periodic replacement of images and videos over the past three years and ten months.

  What course of action would you suggest I take?

  The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

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  musicdoc1 · Member · May 29, 2014 at 6:02 am

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  I forgot to give a link to copied page as republished by Madeline Burke. It appears under the title “Happy 420! Smoke ’em if ya got ’em!” on a site called Cirkus Berserkus.

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  raincoaster · Member · May 29, 2014 at 6:07 am

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  You need to do this http://drinkscoaster.com/2013/01/02/whine-journalism-and-how-to-bring-the-splashback/

  It is up to you to assert your copyright. WordPress.com does not do that for you, and that site is hosted on Ning. If you send them a DMCA they will almost certainly take it down; the post if not the entire site.

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  musicdoc1 · Member · May 29, 2014 at 6:39 am

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  Thanks, raincoaster
  This is definitely not a case of fair use. They copied an entire large, intricately constructed original page and published it without adding anything but a new title. I’ll follow your suggestions ASAP.