Copyright violations are pretty frequent on the Internet.
Especially in the blogosphere where people copy content from one website and post it onto their own like nothing happened. Some copy cats have the decency to give credit and link back to the original text. Some don't. And while copying might be accepted, not linking back is the definite faux pas of the web.
Now Jeremie Miller, founder of Jabber, is hoping to prevent the textual theft with what he calls MicroID, writes MyGlobalCity:
"His intent is that authors use MicroID each time they create a new web page. Web services like Google, Technorati, Yahoo, etc., would then use MicroID to determine the true owner of duplicate content. The idea is simplicity itself: create a unique hash code (alphanumeric string) using two authority codes such as your email address and the root URL of your website where you want to post something. The MicroID that is generated would then be included in a tag on the web page containing your new content. A similar MicroID string could be used for verifying user memberships or validating user feedback for comment moderation."
Copy protection for bloggers? It sounds very cool. But like most copy protection schemes I'm sure there are ways around it. And there is the risk that putting up stronger defenses only makes it more desirable to scale the barrier!
»This craft [direct marketing] is appalling.You are in a battle with the prospective customers you so desperately want to acquire, and you actually believe that, if you "win" the battle against their desires, that you'll have a long, successful, "nurturing" relationship with them.« writes Weaver.