Dealing with content disputes on Squidoo
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We believe the web works best when it's open
The web is an open, free, powerful place. We believe it works best when everyone has a shot at expressing themselves and having a voice online.
Of course, openness can cause some problems along the way. There could be people pretending to be other people. People highlighting content that's not theirs (that's okay, the web is about linking to each other's stuff) BUT not giving it proper credit and not linking back to it (that part's not okay). People with conflicting opinions or competing products that don't like to see the other side have a say. People who are selfish or spammy or out to trick you.
Wow. With all those issues, what's the point of even being online? How do you know who to trust?
Don't despair. The point, the whole point, is that when you put pages up online, you are sharing information and ideas and content and something about you that is remarkable. It takes a lot of guts, and it changes the world. So don't stop.
To handle the growing pains of privacy and digital rights and content issues, here's my best advice:
1. Give someone the benefit of the doubt.
2. Contact them directly, politely, and explain yourself if you have a problem.
3. Remember, the web is open. Remember, you can't control everything everyone says or writes.
4. If you do or make or say something remarkable, chances are people will speak well about you. Lead with that.
Of course, openness can cause some problems along the way. There could be people pretending to be other people. People highlighting content that's not theirs (that's okay, the web is about linking to each other's stuff) BUT not giving it proper credit and not linking back to it (that part's not okay). People with conflicting opinions or competing products that don't like to see the other side have a say. People who are selfish or spammy or out to trick you.
Wow. With all those issues, what's the point of even being online? How do you know who to trust?
Don't despair. The point, the whole point, is that when you put pages up online, you are sharing information and ideas and content and something about you that is remarkable. It takes a lot of guts, and it changes the world. So don't stop.
To handle the growing pains of privacy and digital rights and content issues, here's my best advice:
1. Give someone the benefit of the doubt.
2. Contact them directly, politely, and explain yourself if you have a problem.
3. Remember, the web is open. Remember, you can't control everything everyone says or writes.
4. If you do or make or say something remarkable, chances are people will speak well about you. Lead with that.
Disputes we see frequently
On Squidoo, as on every other open site, there are people who disagree.
This leads to disputes about content.
Below is a list of a few examples we see (each is a fake scenario, not real!) and what you can do about them, proactively.
This leads to disputes about content.
Below is a list of a few examples we see (each is a fake scenario, not real!) and what you can do about them, proactively.
Example #1: Identity dispute
"My name is Hugh Grant (let's say). It has recently come to my attention that someone is creating content in my name on one of your lenses.
Please take this content and site down immediately as it clearly violates the terms of use. The Content is an invasion of privacy."
The first thing to note here is: There are multiple Hugh Grants in the world. (The actor, for one). Just because someone has a lens under "your" name doesn't mean they're faking being you. Maybe they're being them.
Of course, if they've uploaded a photo of you and are posing as you and your content, and it's not you, then we've got a problem.
In that case, the first thing to do is try to contact the author of the lens directly. If that doesn't work, send a note to squidoo.com/pages/feedback. And in the meantime, make a lens that IS by you and about you. A real, curated page about you is worth having online, don't you think? Makes it easier to point people to the "real you."
Please take this content and site down immediately as it clearly violates the terms of use. The Content is an invasion of privacy."
The first thing to note here is: There are multiple Hugh Grants in the world. (The actor, for one). Just because someone has a lens under "your" name doesn't mean they're faking being you. Maybe they're being them.
Of course, if they've uploaded a photo of you and are posing as you and your content, and it's not you, then we've got a problem.
In that case, the first thing to do is try to contact the author of the lens directly. If that doesn't work, send a note to squidoo.com/pages/feedback. And in the meantime, make a lens that IS by you and about you. A real, curated page about you is worth having online, don't you think? Makes it easier to point people to the "real you."
Example #2: Trademark
another hypothetical!
"Dear Sir,
Hi I would like for you to please remove the lens about "iloveyou" which is protected under my trademark."
The first problem here is assuming that everyone in charge online is a Sir :)
That aside... Really? You may have the trademark on "iloveyou" but it's pretty hard to dispute every case of that very common phrase on the entire web.
It's like when Tivo got mad that people were using Tivo as a verb, and wanted to protect it.
Sure, there are cases when you want to protect your trademark, or at least have it credited. As before, ask the lensmaster first, and failing that, send a note. But think long and hard about this along the way: Don't you WANT people talking about your stuff?
Hi I would like for you to please remove the lens about "iloveyou" which is protected under my trademark."
The first problem here is assuming that everyone in charge online is a Sir :)
That aside... Really? You may have the trademark on "iloveyou" but it's pretty hard to dispute every case of that very common phrase on the entire web.
It's like when Tivo got mad that people were using Tivo as a verb, and wanted to protect it.
Sure, there are cases when you want to protect your trademark, or at least have it credited. As before, ask the lensmaster first, and failing that, send a note. But think long and hard about this along the way: Don't you WANT people talking about your stuff?
The web works best when it's open
99.999% of the time, people aren't out to get you. Give them the benefit of the doubt. The break that you deserve yourself.
Example #3: Copied content!
Two scenarios here:
1. "I run a [insert blog, website, forum, whatever] with the content [insert paragraph] on it. Your lensmaster has copied my content and is running it on their lens without my approval. Make them take it down."
2. "I have a lens about Hannah Montana, and someone else has copied my unique content word for word and put it on their lens. Take it down!"
In the first example, take a second to consider whether someone is quoting you, and if they've posting a credit line and a link back to your blog. If they have, isn't that what we all hope will happen?
If someone has just hijacked your content, though, and is passing it off entirely as their own, you're right, that's bad! Ask them to take it down, or to link it. They usually will.
In case #2 above, the same applies. In both cases, we will likely lock the lens being disputed. So make sure your lenses properly credit everything you quote, and most importantly, make sure you write your own unique content!
1. "I run a [insert blog, website, forum, whatever] with the content [insert paragraph] on it. Your lensmaster has copied my content and is running it on their lens without my approval. Make them take it down."
2. "I have a lens about Hannah Montana, and someone else has copied my unique content word for word and put it on their lens. Take it down!"
In the first example, take a second to consider whether someone is quoting you, and if they've posting a credit line and a link back to your blog. If they have, isn't that what we all hope will happen?
If someone has just hijacked your content, though, and is passing it off entirely as their own, you're right, that's bad! Ask them to take it down, or to link it. They usually will.
In case #2 above, the same applies. In both cases, we will likely lock the lens being disputed. So make sure your lenses properly credit everything you quote, and most importantly, make sure you write your own unique content!
It also helps to be open yourself
On any site, if you share photos or articles or videos and you want to make sure the world knows they're YOURS, try adding a Creative Commons license. And publish an email address where people can reach you. Remind people that if they want to use your stuff, they should ask first. You might be surprised by how many people do.
Example #4: Competition on lenses
Case #1: "Dear Squidoo -- How could you? I have a lens on ponies, and now I see three other lenses ALSO on ponies. Mine is better and I don't want to deal with the competition. Take theirs down."
Case #2: "I have a lens about being vegetarian and how to make tofurkey. But I see a Google ad about TURKEY on my lens. I'm a vegetarian, dummies, you should remove that!"
In both cases, competition is good. If there are other lenses on your topic, great... maybe you could drop them a note and see if they want to recommend yours and vice versa. Squidoo was designed to allow for multiple lenses on the same topic, it's not like wikipedia with one entry per topic only.
In the second case, sorry, Google tries to make their ads as relevant as they can. If you were talking about turkey on your lens, even about NOT eating it, chances are Google could still match an ad to that. Not much we can do for you. You might consider looking over your content and tags and tweaking them to see what kinds of ads you get.
Case #2: "I have a lens about being vegetarian and how to make tofurkey. But I see a Google ad about TURKEY on my lens. I'm a vegetarian, dummies, you should remove that!"
In both cases, competition is good. If there are other lenses on your topic, great... maybe you could drop them a note and see if they want to recommend yours and vice versa. Squidoo was designed to allow for multiple lenses on the same topic, it's not like wikipedia with one entry per topic only.
In the second case, sorry, Google tries to make their ads as relevant as they can. If you were talking about turkey on your lens, even about NOT eating it, chances are Google could still match an ad to that. Not much we can do for you. You might consider looking over your content and tags and tweaking them to see what kinds of ads you get.
What we do when we receive a legal complaint
Squidoo has nearly a million lenses as of this writing. We're an open site. There's no way we can (or want to) mediate every debate, complaint, and alleged issue. Authors put up content, and we expect them to take responsibility for vouching that it's their own, or properly sourced if not.
If you've clearly breached copyright or trademark lines, or something similar, we'll lock your lens or even delete it.
Even if, in the end, you didn't do anything wrong... we might still lock your lens as a warning anyway. The best thing to do, when we can, is connect the two people who are engaged in the dispute.
The lens will likely stay locked until we've seen a clear reason to unlock it.
It's easy to stay away from anything even close to this. Write good content. Own it. Acknowledge and link back to people you're quoting. Don't disparage or malign. Don't steal. Say thanks often. Give more than take.
99.9999% of our lensmasters never have to hassle with locked lenses. I hope you're one of them.
If you've clearly breached copyright or trademark lines, or something similar, we'll lock your lens or even delete it.
Even if, in the end, you didn't do anything wrong... we might still lock your lens as a warning anyway. The best thing to do, when we can, is connect the two people who are engaged in the dispute.
The lens will likely stay locked until we've seen a clear reason to unlock it.
It's easy to stay away from anything even close to this. Write good content. Own it. Acknowledge and link back to people you're quoting. Don't disparage or malign. Don't steal. Say thanks often. Give more than take.
99.9999% of our lensmasters never have to hassle with locked lenses. I hope you're one of them.
More info about Locked lenses
For further reading....
P.S. Did you know that lenses raise money for charity?
Mine is donating to Earthjustice. You could too.
Environmental law defender Earthjustice, the top American ecological law firm, because the earth needs a good lawyer. Formerly Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund.
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