Your content’s your gold, your story to tell
Lock it down and guard it well.
You hit Publish.
You go make a coffee.
Then you see your story… your words, your wakeup nights are staring back at you from a stranger’s page. Flattery? No. Fraud.
I will not overlook my stolen work…
Last week, I reported 5 copycats.
I chased all of them, they are gone.. suspended.
And get the confirmation when I see this line landed in my inbox:
“Hello, thank you for bringing this to our attention…”
Here’s exactly how I protected my content, so you can, too.
The Gut-Punch Moment
Three pieces I bled over and went viral:
- “Your ChatGPT History Just Went Public…”
- “Your ChatGPT Secrets Could Testify Against You…”
- “12 High‑Selling Digital Products…”
…appeared, word for word, same paragraphs, same structure, zero credit. The whole story’s content, not just titles
I reported. Medium suspended them.
I documented, filed DMCA, and watched their other web copies disappear from search. (Yes, it works when you do it right.)
My 7-Step Takedown Flow (Battle-tested)
1) Find your stolen content
Use This Prompt to Make ChatGPT Hunt Stolen Copies of Your Article
How to use: Paste into ChatGPT/Perplexity (with browsing enabled). Replace the placeholders.
Objective: Deep search on the internet to find unauthorized copies of my article and prepare a takedown bundle.
Original URL: [YOUR_ORIGINAL_URL] Title: "[YOUR_TITLE]"
Distinctive lines (3–5 quoted sentences):
"[…]"
"[…]"
"[…]"
Tasks:
1- For each quoted sentence:
- Search the web with exact-match quotes.
- Use site: and -site: operators to exclude your own domain.
- List suspected URLs. (Show which line matched.)
2- Open each suspected URL and compare: % overlap, headline similarity, publish date, and author.
3- For each confirmed match, capture: URL, screenshot text excerpt, and (if possible) the Wayback Machine Save Page Now archive link.
4- Identify the platform/host and provide the correct removal portal or DMCA agent (Medium DMCA, Google Legal Removal, host abuse/DMCA email).
5- Draft a DMCA notice per U.S. Copyright Office guidance, including required statements and my contact details.
Output one notice per infringing URL.
6- Add a final section: how to request de-indexing on Google for each infringing URL after takedown is filed.
Deliverables:
A table of suspect URLs + which lines matched + confidence score.
DMCA email/web-form text for each URL.
Links to the correct removal portals (platform + Google).
A checklist for evidence I should save locally.
(Why this works: exact-match quote searches surface clones fast; operators narrow results; archiving preserves proof; and platform-specific portals speed removals.)
2) Screenshot + Archive First.
Save your original page and the infringing page in the Wayback Machine (“Save Page Now”), then take local screenshots. This locks the evidence in time.
3) Identify the Host/Platform.
For platforms like Medium, Substack, etc., use their copyright reporting tools.
For example, if you find an infringement on a Medium story..
Head to the story page, click on the 3 dots, and then report the story
4) File a Proper DMCA
Include the required elements (signature, identification of your work, infringing URL, good-faith statement, accuracy).
Use this Copy-Paste DMCA Notice Template (edit & send):
Subject: DMCA Notice of Copyright Infringement
I am the copyright owner (or authorized agent) of the work identified below.
Original work URL(s): [your URL]
Infringing material URL(s): [copied URL]
Description: [1–2 lines on what was copied]
I believe that the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
The information in this notice is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, I am authorized to act on behalf of the owner.
Contact: [name, address, email, phone]
Signature: [type full name]
Date: [date]
Check out Sample 1 and Sample 2 to see what your protected content looks like with DMCA protection.
Sometimes I use Tools like Ubersuggest to check how much my content has become popular.
5) Report to Google.
If you see your copy persists, submit a legal removal request so it’s de-listed from search results regionally or globally.
6) Refresh Outdated Results.
If a page was removed/changed but old snippets still show, request a refresh via Google’s tool.
7) Track and Follow Up.
Keep a simple log (Original URL, Infringing URL, Portal, Status). Many platforms state that infringing posts can be restricted or removed.
Overwhelmed by tracking your content?
I’ve got your back.
Use this Google alert tool to create an alert to get emails when new results for post titles and a few distinctive sentences (use quotes) show up in Google Search. For example, you can get info about your articles, find modified copies, or mentions of your name.
Pro Tips To Make Your Content Harder to Steal (and Easier to Prove It’s Yours)
- Canonical Tag on Originals. Help Google recognize your URL as the representative source across duplicates/syndications.
- Instant Archiving. The moment you publish, run “Save Page Now” to create a permanent timestamped snapshot.
- Google Alerts on Titles + Distinct Lines. You’ll get emails when those phrases appear elsewhere.
- Keep a “Proof Pack.” Local copies of drafts, publish timestamps, screenshots, and the archive link are ready to attach to notices.
- Medium-specific: Medium processes copyright notices and may remove or restrict access to infringing material; plagiarism violations can result in suspension.
FAQs:
Q: Are these steps for Medium Content only?
No, for all types of content, I just shared cases with Medium, and it can be applied to all platforms and websites.
Q: Is DMCA only for the U.S.?
It’s a U.S. law, but many platforms and hosts outside the U.S. honor takedowns or have similar “notice-and-takedown” processes.
Q: Will Google remove every stolen page from results?
No, but if your claim is valid and specific, it often de-indexes the infringing URL(s), which kills their traffic.
Q: What’s the fastest detector?
Google Alerts for speed; Copysentry for depth (finds modified copies). Archive originals to strengthen your evidence.
Q: What if the thief “credits” me?
Doesn’t matter without permission. Medium’s policy: credit ≠ license; copyright/plagiarism violations can lead to suspension without appeal.
Q: The site is offshore. Can I still DMCA?
Yes, many hosts and platforms honor DMCA-style notices globally; if not, hit search removal and the platform’s legal team.
Q: How long until it disappears from Google?
Search can take days to recrawl. If it lingers for a week, file removal directly with Google’s legal form.
Q: Do I need a lawyer?
Not to file a DMCA. If the site counter-notifies or you need damages, consult counsel. (Your archived captures help.)
Q: Is a service like DMCA.com worth it?
For repeated abuse or many mirrors, yes, time saved can be worth the fee; they outline the process and scope openly.
Originally Published on Medium
