Stopping splogs
Doc Searls writes on trying to slow the rise of splogs and has adopted a Creative Commons license for his blog. I have had the same licence on my blog for several months. Clearly the ‘problem’ is likely far more acute for a blog with Doc’s popularity and readership, however I’d be interested in his thoughts on how (in an ‘enforcement-is-nine-tenths-of-the-law’ context) he believes this can make more than a symbolic difference? It just seems to me that the people behind these splogs aren’t likely to be put off by a CC or even a ‘C’ (Copyright); maybe I’m mistaken in that assumption. I mean what is the likelyhood that many (any?) bloggers would actually have the time and resources to pursue infringing sploggers?
I usually don’t write or comment about blogging but I think this kernel is important enough to try to help turn it into a snowball. Time to harness the wisdom of the ’sphere.
August 30th, 2006 at 2:46 pm
Well, my blog isn’t all *that* popular. (I have about 1/10 the readership of Scoble, for example; and 1/100th of Instapundit.)
I figured it might do some good if A) the CC folks wanted to refine this license or come up with another one; or B) Google wanted to get ahead of the next class action lawsuit by going on the offensive. At this point, however, I don’t think either is in the cards.
So far I’ve had one comment on the post, and one other blog — yours — remark on it. I sent emails to Larry Lessig and to a pile of colleagues at the Berkman Center. No response. So much for “A-list” pull, huh?
Soooo… I dunno. Looks like it was a waste of effort. In fact, I’m thinking of taking the whole license thing off the blog completely. It slows loading of an already slow-loading blog anyway.
Meanwhile, maybe it’s just a case of right-cause, wrong-time.
But thanks for trying. I really appreciate it.
August 30th, 2006 at 4:02 pm
What makes copyright practical as a weapon against sploggers is the DMCA Takedown Letter (see chillingeffects.org). When a splogger copies your content in violation of your license, you can send a takedown to Google and it goes in the “Our Lawyers MUST Handle This” mailbox instead of the “Blog spam? We’ll get to it when we feel like it” mailbox.
August 30th, 2006 at 5:49 pm
Well, an addendum. I just got a very encouraging reply from the Creative Commons folks.
I also think I may have been writing to the wrong constituency, on my blog. I’m going to try suggesting the same thing, or something similar, at Linux Journal, where licensing consciousness amongst the readership has always been high.
Either way, I’m not feeling as bummed about the whole thing as I was when I wrote the last comment.