I have created several different WordPress themes which I’ve released under Creative Commons licensing. Between the two themes, they have been downloaded over 5,000 times. This is great because in the footer there is a copyright message with a link back to johnhesch.com. The one problem I did not anticipate is a pornography site using one of my themes and keeping the copyright tag in place.
I recently found that an adult site is using my Gila theme and right down at the bottom of the page next to a woman licking her lips and saying “spice up your marriage” is my name and a link back here. I see the smirk on some of your faces.
So what do I do? I could write to the webmaster and ask that the copyright tag be removed but I don’t want to spend my time digging around adult sites looking for contact information. Beyond adult sites, what happens if my themes are being used for a hate site or some other site that I don’t want to be associated with?
Maybe it’s not a big deal.
Welcome to johnhesch.com, a blog about my life, projects, and interests. I have been blogging for over 10 years in one form or another.
At least you’d get lots of traffic.
Unfortunately, John, I think just the price you pay to have your link on a few thousand weblog pages.
Isn’t it perfect - I misspell my own link on a post about names and links!
Couldn’t you amend your creative commons licence to say that porn/racist/illegal sites can’t use your themes? On the other hand, it may also improve your google ratings too.
Yes, inbound links and better Google rankings are the benefits of having so many people using the theme with a link back to me. I’m not sure if CC has a clause that allows me to specify what type of sites can use the theme.
I think it shocked me at first but now that I’ve thought about it more it’s probably not that big of a deal. If someone Google’s my name, those sites will be so far down the line that no one would ever see them.
I don’t think that’s so much to worry about. If the site changes the way the copyright is displayed to be misleading, then I’d be bringing it up. You’re right, though. What do you do? share your work, like you want to? Or, hoard it to yourself and feel unfulfilled? Tough balance…
I think you’re right. I’m not going to worry about it. It just took me by surprise.
Maybe you get to fish some lost soles that way too….
I know what I`d do…. if I knew who was responsible…but I better not to write it here…. :I
:l
OK I give up for the smiley with big eyes!
Hi, Yea I think this is a big. Deal Recently I found a porn site visiting my personal website. Whats that all about? Anyway your “art” should be able to be protected to the poin that you can control its use in my opinion. Sorry to hear this happened. Hopw you can find a way to fix it.