Web site Design was.....copied..... Is this legal, Web site design...copy legal or not Options

[pcicecube]

Web site Design was.....copied..... Is this legal


Hi all

I need some web site / legal advice to some degree, pointer in the right direction, I have a website and someone a competitor has copied the design ...and very similar layout. With a custom clip art thingy I made they copied and put in the same place on their site....... Does anyone know if this Is illegal? I spent weeks coming u with the design and paid a company to build it...and someone just copied it to some degree a few months later.....in the same industry .... An help or advice from fellow IT folk is appreciated.....

Thanks in advance!!!!!!

Cheers

Gaz

[unco_tomato]

Most definitely illegal.

You can't copy images information or logos from another website without the express permission of the owner.

As for layout etc, not to sure, but I'm pretty sure it would be extra evidence should you decide to go to court.

[A Hitman]

What's the site?
The person who made you the site didn't just use a generic template did they?

[mudg3]

in b4 being wordpress.

[pcicecube]

What's the site?
The person who made you the site didn't just use a generic template did they?

Hi All thanks for the reply thus far…
The site im referring to is a custom site – no templates used – custom built I paid about $9000 for the site – with my design . I took about 2 months of research finding all the best bits of sites around the internet – designed my site then submitted for building to a third party design team.

I would like to give you the address of both sites – but the dispute is currently with lawyers atm….so I cannot disclose anything yet…(they might know how to google)…..

Any one with past experience in this area may also be of value.

Thanks guys though…

[SledgY]

I took about 2 months of research finding all the best bits of sites around the internet – designed my site then submitted for building to a third party design team.

The question of imagery is pretty simple, if you created the image then you own the copyright. If they have taken that without your permission then they are infringing. Of course this also depends on where your competitor is based, if they are an overseas company it gets more complex.

As for the design this is a harder area to make a case, as you have also reused other sites you might have a hard case to make.

[Jeruselem]

Did you use "public domain" images or images which could have only come from yourself?

[moofactory]

Cant really give any feedback on what I cant see, I dont see how because legal is involved that you cant post them both.

[ilyria109]

As your lawyers are involved, it kind of answers your question, right?

I mean, they wouldn't have done anything about it if there was no chance of them winning. If it was perfectly legal.......

[Devilsmurf]

Lawyers get paid regardless.

It will come back to the contracts you signed with the company doing the building of the site. While you had design input if you signed a contract that gives them the ability to claim any work done as their own it's their right to distribute the code as seen fit. They may have sold the design/ workings of the site to this other webmaster.

[pcicecube]

Just thought I'd drop a note today thanks for the all the input.....turns out we won the case, the moron changed his site...like everything.....inc colour scheme.....the funny thing is...he went and changed his site to look similar to another competitors site....I mean seriously this guys got no idea how to be creative or respect other people's IP, ...just wait for the next guy to sue him....

Cheers

G

[.:Cyb3rGlitch:.]

Send that competitor a note pointing it out. Would be funny to see them get hit twice for plagiarising work.