Last week I wrote a pretty cathartic post on my home blog about an incident that happened to me in 2007.
I contended then, and still do, that my blog idea and name were lifted and used by someone who had prior knowledge of my blog...and had written a fan email with a request for me to give the content (for free) to the Huffington Post.
I felt pretty good after that post. I had finally spoken, out loud, what I had alluded to and danced around for three long years. I named the person - Romi Lasally.
There were lots of comments on that post, and some bridge re-building has begun with some bloggers. I am eternally grateful for that.
I am cross posting the entry I put up today.
Because this just can't continue. It isn't right.
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So, after thinking and listening and emailing and talking, I felt better about the situation around True Wife Confessions and the obvious derivation.
I decided to wander over and look at the site...You know, what the heck.
Which is when I saw "Truu Wife Confessions"
Oh Sweet Jeebus. My blood pressure rose dramatically.
But I did nothing at first. I thought. I meandered.
And then I emailed, through the website.
I stated that the title was derivative but for ONE letter, and I wanted it taken down.
The response?
Thanks for reaching out Dawn. This vertical has been up on the site for almost 2 years (since I relaunched truuconfessions.com).
Would you have any interest in taking this vertical over and using the confessional on your site and pulling your content into the truu blog?
truuconfessions works on a lifestage model (much like the knot, the nest, etc) and wives was always a category and then its own vertical. Just as the huffingtonpost creates "big news pages" around topics, that's all I did and continue to do with other topics.
I'm sorry for any bad blood in the past - no intention to "plagiarize" as u say. If you'd like to work together on this section (with a fair rev share split) I'd be happy to talk by phone or email.
Best,
Romi
Um, Hell No? Hell to the Nizzo?
My response:
No. I have no interest in partnering with you.
I want you to take it down, regardless of how long it has been up.
Dawn Rouse
Within Minutes, I got this:
Thanks for your quick response.
Sorry. I'm not going to go in and change the infrastructure of my site.
Best,
Romi
And My final response:
The concept and title is derivative of MY site, which has been in place since 2006.
The is my last request to take down that section. I should, by rights, ask for a portion of your revenue for the entire time you have been using the name. I am not.
Take down Truu Wife Confessions.
Dawn Rouse
Let's see what the next chapter brings.
Updated to add the Contact form for "Truu wife". Feel free to use it - Hell, even if you want to tell Romi that I am a spiteful bitch who should shut up. Just let your voice be heard. I am not being quiet this time around.
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9 comments:
(why are there so many broken images on the site today?)
i really hope you are able to hold that site accountable for their plagiarism. the cocky tone in the response is so upsetting.
Situations like this remind me of the biggest problem I have with the internet: the inability to email an ass-whooping. It's 2010, people - let's put aside the hover car issue and work on something that will REALLY benefit society OK? For what it's worth, Dawn - I'm just an internet nobody - but I'm on your side.
What a f*****h nightmare. I would be in a rage if I were you, infuriated beyond belief. That Rmi is a b***c. How RUDE, disrespectful and disgusting of her.
I feel for you, going through this. Your site is awesome. The NERVE of her to have done what she has in ripping your site idea off.
People never fail to amaze me what what they do nasty and wrong, with no conscience, remorse or compunction. Grrrr!
Intellectual property theft is the lowest of the low. I told her so. Dawn you rock and no one can copy you no matter how hard they try!!!
I feel you- I had someone rip off my blog name and when I told her I'd been blogging under that banner for like 4 years at that point she was like 'Yah! It is a great name to blog under huh?!?!' Anyhow, everyone should go to the imposter site and blast it so everyone who has ever signed up regrets their RSS feed.
Intellectual property thieves are one of the lowest forms of life: they don't have the creative chops to come up with something original, so they have to filch from others to satisfy their narcissistic cravings. This yotch deserves to be boiled in her own bile. You go, Dawn!
Talk to a lawyer. That sucks.
I'm thinking that even though you feel ripped off, isn't the greater effect that women now have MORE of a chance to talk freely? And isn't that the point?
"I don't think we get to pick and choose, my Blogging brethren. We don't get to stand for one, and not the other. We don't get to talk about how it isn't ok to Bully - then launch a Bullying campaign against another blogger. Hypocrisy much?"
"Updated to add the Contact form for "Truu wife". Feel free to use it - Hell, even if you want to tell Romi that I am a spiteful bitch who should shut up. Just let your voice be heard. I am not being quiet this time around."
hypocrisy much?
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