4 ms·

I recently found out that a contractor that won a tender with a government used my website without my consent. They were given my details and asked to reach out

I recently found out that a contractor that won a tender with a government used my website without my consent. They were given my details and asked to reach out to me. They didn't, and instead linked to my website without any attribution. Should I be happy that the government is gaining a benefit from my work, something with commercial value, while I'm not benefiting? If my website was explicitly GNU or licensed under something that gives another person permission, then sure. Otherwise it's unfair for someone to make something out of my labour without reaching out to me and asking for at least permission.

pbhjpbhj 8y ago
If you put a website online you're explicitly giving the right to link to it. If the government are not allowing use of their IPR then I think you have an argument, unless they're trying to stop linking to their stuff then I don't see the problem.
- nevi-me 8y ago
  In South Africa, if you put your website online, you're automatically protected by our Intellectual Property Act under copyright protection. Unless I waive that copyright (which I haven't waived per my TOS on the website), whoever hotlinks to my website or derives financial gain without my consent is violating my rights per my country's Constitution. I don't see any "explicitly giving the right ..." there. In fact, I explicitly did the opposite.
  - pbhjpbhj 8y ago
    You realise the internet is global? You put up a "free food" sign, put chicken on the brai and now you want to stop people from helping themselves to the chicken. Take the website off the internet if you don't want to share it. /Charlie-bit-my-finger
    - ryandrake 8y ago
      I’ve never understood this mentality. Why publish content on the Internet without access control if you don’t want people reading the content?
  - zeveb 8y ago
    And that's an ignorant law, since all a link is, is a way to say, 'hey, go to this machine and ask for this resource.' If you, the owner of the machine, wish not to give it to people who ask for it … don't.
patrickg_zill 8y ago
It's very likely that it is a violation of one or another contracting rule. If you wanted to, you could get in touch with the government agency's contract management and complain.

pbhjpbhj 8y ago

If you put a website online you're explicitly giving the right to link to it. If the government are not allowing use of their IPR then I think you have an argument, unless they're trying to stop linking to their stuff then I don't see the problem.

nevi-me 8y ago
In South Africa, if you put your website online, you're automatically protected by our Intellectual Property Act under copyright protection. Unless I waive that copyright (which I haven't waived per my TOS on the website), whoever hotlinks to my website or derives financial gain without my consent is violating my rights per my country's Constitution. I don't see any "explicitly giving the right ..." there. In fact, I explicitly did the opposite.
- pbhjpbhj 8y ago
  You realise the internet is global? You put up a "free food" sign, put chicken on the brai and now you want to stop people from helping themselves to the chicken. Take the website off the internet if you don't want to share it. /Charlie-bit-my-finger
  - ryandrake 8y ago
    I’ve never understood this mentality. Why publish content on the Internet without access control if you don’t want people reading the content?
- zeveb 8y ago
  And that's an ignorant law, since all a link is, is a way to say, 'hey, go to this machine and ask for this resource.' If you, the owner of the machine, wish not to give it to people who ask for it … don't.

patrickg_zill 8y ago

It's very likely that it is a violation of one or another contracting rule. If you wanted to, you could get in touch with the government agency's contract management and complain.