The Dreaded Email

As a Tech Coach, one of the most dreaded emails that always sends a slight wave of panic through me begins with the subject line:  DMCA Violation Notice.  In a nutshell, someone, somewhere has violated copyright on their blog, and the post must be removed.

What Happened?

Most likely, someone has uploaded a file to their blog that does not “belong” to them.  Sure, they may have paid for it through Teachers Pay Teachers or some other site, however without written permission from the actual file owner, they do not have the right to share it publicly.  Therefore, it must be taken down immediately.

Now What?

Instead of uploading the document to your blog, put a direct link to the file.   Blog users can click on the link, and it will take them directly to the document you want to share.  Keep in mind, if you need a username and password to access the file, your blog users won’t be able to gain access without an account.

Also, remember that iLearn (Moodle) is your online classroom.  iLearn is not a public site.

For more information on copyright infringement, check out Copyright: What is it, and why are infringements harmful?