[File sharing] eBookr

[Amadan]

So, now that we've finished iteration eleventy-nine of the Great Ebook Piracy Debate, I've just learned about a site y'all might want to be aware of, and contact your publishers to send takedown notices:

eBookr.com

It has a very slick, professional, "legitimate" presentation, but it's a pirate site charging a subscription fee for unlimited access to pirated eBooks.

Their DMCA notice page is an audicious bit of chutzpah: basically, "Jump through all these hoops to prove that this is your copyrighted work and you don't want it here, and we'll take it down, honest."

A few points:

1. I can easily see the average person believing it's a perfectly legitimate and legal service.

2. The people running this site are doubly dirty, since they are offering nothing that couldn't be downloaded for free on torrent sites.

3. I know of no one on the "pro-piracy" side of the debate who condones a third party charging money for pirated ebooks. So these people are unambiguously scumbags.

 

[Torgo]

I think I've reported these guys before. Will put another report in.

 

[Stacia Kane]

eBooks.

Their DMCA notice page is an audicious bit of chutzpah: basically, "Jump through all these hoops to prove that this is your copyrighted work and you don't want it here, and we'll take it down, honest."

My favorite was the site that refused to accept my DMCA notice because I don't have an @staciakane.com email address (I use gmail). I just never bothered to set one up and frankly don't know how. They sent me a really nasty reply about it, too, like how DARE I not have an email address they consider acceptable.

Honestly, though, their rules aren't that far off the standard. I have a DMCA email draft already, so all I have to do is copy-paste, for the most part.

 

[Cassie Knight]

Stacia, my friend emailed me about this yesterday and my books are up there. First time I've had to deal with this. I saw their DMCA and was fairly intimated thinking I wouldn't be able to submit the request. Would you be willing to PM your draft notice?

Thanks!

 

[Torgo]

It seems that the books they're linking to aren't actually hosted on-site, which suggests to me they're all cyberlocker links. It's rather amusing looking at those sites today - since the MegaUpload indictments there is frantic arse-covering taking place. "You can only download your personal files!!! Nobody else's!!!" - that sort of thing. So I think these guys may be temporarily out of business.

 

[Unimportant]

That site does look legit -- which is very distressing.

 

[Dee Carney]

It took me tweeting with a few others to get past the slick look and discover that ebookr isn't a bookseller, but a pirate site. Fortunately, they responded immediately to my DMCA takedown notice without any issues. As always, I kept a copy of their response in case I have to give them a friendly reminder to keep my books off their site. Grrr...

 

[OH~Alex]

ebookr's response

I had sent ebookr a question, playing dumb and asking how I would get royalties from my book that was on there. This was the co-creator's response:

A little background: Our service automatically aggregates ebook content from Usenet, so the content which appears on our service is out of our direct control. Usenet is a global discussion forum, where millions of people discuss subjects of interest and share files with one another. We don't allow our users to post books -- eBookr simply pulls in any and all ebooks that are posted to Usenet, which includes thousands of public domain and self-published/free-to-download works.


Of course, we have a DMCA process in place to make sure any unauthorized copyrighted material uploaded to Usenet (and thus made accessible through eBookr.com) without copyright holder consent can be removed from our site. This is done with a properly formed takedown notice sent to [email protected]. This doesn't remove it from Usenet itself (we don't own or control Usenet -- no one does), but access to the content becomes blocked on our site. We've outlined this is a more detailed fashion here: http://www.ebookr.com/content/9/dmca/


I'd like to work with you to ensure any works to which you are the copyright holder are not on our service without your consent. Please let me know if you have any questions or if I can help in any way.

Ryan van Barneveld

Yep, he signed his name. And apparently thinks we're all stupid.

A little digging, and Liquid Web does their web hosting, therefore, the servers are in Lansing, Michigan. http://www.liquidweb.com/about/contact.html

I sent my DMCA notices to both ebookr AND their web host who advertises that "Transmission, storage, or presentation of any information, data or material in violation of any United States Federal, State or Local law is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to: copyrighted material..."

Now, a little on Ryan can be found here: http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/ryan-van-barneveld/19/120/27a It appears file sharing via videos and audio books has been his training ground.

And he's on Facebook as well. In a zero-gravity plane ride for his default. Illegal file sharing apparently pays well.

Also put a claim in the FBI via IC3 and let every author I know about him and let the DMCA notices fly.

 

[brainstorm77]

This guy is still at it. Siren had all of my titles with them removed and the next day more went up.

What pisses me off the most is that he is charging for the books!

 

[Miselle]

I've always skipped the website ripping me off and sent the DMCA straight to their host. It's been 100% effective so far. Me they can blow off or foot drag. Their host they listen to right quick. My documentation is ironclad, so it's not like there is anyone that doesn't know exactly what's up.

 

[OH~Alex]

Brainstorm, I sent my DMCAs for the new book that just got uploaded Saturday last night, and it has been pulled already. I think I have been enough of a thorn in their sides thus far that I seem to get quick service.

Miselle - I've been putting in claims to the FBI with each one, too. I'm not putting up with this crap.

It's one thing to give my books away (not that I'm happy with torrents either) but it's a whole other ball of wax to CHARGE money. This company is profiting from our loss.

 

[OH~Alex]

I also just got an email from Liquid Web's Dir of Abuse: I received an email from the Liquid Web Director of Abuse regarding ebookr. Supposedly, they are "reviewing (with) the client regarding what methods are used to obtain copyrighted material to prevent future abuse.

Let me know if you have any questions."

And...well...yeah, I do.

I asked why some of our books have been pulled whereas others have sat there and festered.

And then I dropped THE BOMB (and I do have to say, I think I have outdone myself):

Let me remind you of your own company's TERMS OF SERVICE as found on your web site:

Content
All services provided by Liquid Web, Inc. are to be used for lawful purposes only. Transmission, storage, or presentation of any information, data or material in violation of any United States Federal, State or Local law is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to: copyrighted material, material we judge to be threatening or obscene, material that jeopardizes national security, or material protected by trade secret or other laws.

These Terms of Service are a legally binding contract between the subscriber and Liquid Web, Inc.

By opening an account, the subscriber agrees to the above-stated terms.

Any violation of these Terms of Service will result in termination of the account. Liquid Web, Inc. maintains the right to terminate accounts without prior notification.

BINGO!!

I think in the past week, we as the author community have stood up and shouted from the rooftops that this company has hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of illegally uploaded books that they are profiting from.

And the HEROIC SUPPORT that you advertise? Well, the author community is being VICTIMIZED. Talk about someone needing a HERO. This is your company's opportunity to practice what you preach, hold these law breakers accountable to THE EXPECTATIONS YOU CLEARLY DEFINE IN YOUR OWN CONTRACT, and do the right thing.

 

[CaoPaux]

Is "closed to new accounts" which is a small victory ....