This is just wrong

by David Safier

I learned recently that my posts are being used on another site without my permission. The posts aren't simply being quoted from or compiled with other posts from other sites. They are nearly the only original content on the site. They have my name at the top, but no link back to BfA.

The site is My Gay Phoenix. If you think my concerns have any homophobia connected to them, that's not what's going on. I would object to this practice regardless of the ethnic origin, religion, political or sexual orientation of the people ripping off my posts. This is a violation of blog ethics at the very least, and it may be illegal as well.

Apparently, this is business as usual for the guy who runs this site and a number of others. His name is Eric Wood. He owns OutGayLife.com and Moonviper Web Services, as well as a number of websites.

Eric Wood . . . had been reposting and republishing news stories,
features, blog posts and articles from LGBT publications, blogs and
mainstream press and news organizations.

The site republishing my posts doesn't have any contact information, which makes it seem even more sleazy. I'm going to try to figure out how to contact Wood, though it may not do any good. Wood apparently removed AP content, because they're big enough to cause him trouble, but . . .

Wood said “copyright law is difficult. That’s why there are court cases.”

So this is a request for Wood to stop using my writing on his website. I'll see what I can do to get this resolved. Any suggestions are appreciated.