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GW legal threats to TalkBloodBowl.com
Topic Started: Nov 4 2009, 08:59 AM (545 Views)
Memento Mori
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read this interesting article on Tabletop Gaming News this morning:

'Today I received a letter from the Games Workshop Group PLC stating that if I didn’t comply with 4 directives within 14 days they would take formal proceedings against me. It saddens me to see GW take such action against a perfectly legitimate fan site that has provided a global communications portal for BB fans, with no intention of conning them out of the millions they make in sales. I feel that I have been stereotypically branded as an Internet con-man. I have been a GW fan for 20+ years and this site has been active for almost 9 of that 20. This site has also had GW staff registered and actively contribute to its content (it may still have).'

Link to full article.
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Heresiarch
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Thats just balls in a sandwich!

It seems a little over the top to threaten legal action to a site that if anything is drumming up more interest in your product. I understand that for some reason they felt that the contributions that that site was receiving was profiting the chap, but a little research would have surely proved that and also that was money that wasn't going to go to GW elsewise.
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Memento Mori
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Heresiarch
Nov 10 2009, 01:01 AM
Thats just balls in a sandwich!

It seems a little over the top to threaten legal action to a site that if anything is drumming up more interest in your product. I understand that for some reason they felt that the contributions that that site was receiving was profiting the chap, but a little research would have surely proved that and also that was money that wasn't going to go to GW elsewise.

I understand the company wanting to protect their intellectual properties and all that, but surely the contributions were just to pay for the website?
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Lauby
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looks like the Talkbloodbowl guy transferred the content to another owner who changed the domain name.

There were some announcements on the actual site.
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Memento Mori
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And another....

Seems like Games Workshop (tm) are on the warpath....
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Memento Mori
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And yet another....
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dethtron
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there is a theme running with the blogs that are being shut down...namely retardation. While I don't necessarily agree with GW throwing their corporate bulk around at the little guy (kind of like when record companies used to sue 12 year old girls over mp3 downloads), they have a right to do so since they have stolen GW's intellectual property. moreover, these sites have done it pretty stupidly and blatantly. One of the GW legal letters essentially states that one site has a list or chart of all of the bloodbowl character stats posted. 'why am I being sued' they now whine. well no shit sherlock, you've posting copyrighted material that isn't yours on your site w/o any type of legal disclaimer.


Here are some things that we should with this site to prevent this from happening to us:

1. don't imbed images into your post, unless you know that they are open source or your own image. link back to the original source if it isn't yours rather than imbedding.
2. avoid using arwork that has been created by gw. again, link to it if it's important in making your point.
3. don't post full rules or stat descriptions. it's ok to say that a space marine has a toughness 4 or has a 50% chance of hitting somebody with its bolter, but you probably shouldn't rattle off the whole statline and all of it's wargear and universal special rules. discussing rules and codex entries is ok, but be smart about it...less is more.
4. keep the disclaimer that was posted yesterday pinned. while this doesn't exempt us from doing anything we want, it's better than not having one and being caught completely with our pants down.
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Memento Mori
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dethtron
Nov 13 2009, 10:07 AM
there is a theme running with the blogs that are being shut down...namely retardation.  While I don't necessarily agree with GW throwing their corporate bulk around at the little guy (kind of like when record companies used to sue 12 year old girls over mp3 downloads), they have a right to do so since they have stolen GW's intellectual property.  moreover, theses few sites have done it pretty stupidly and blatantly.  One of the GW legal letters essentially states that once site  a list or chart of all of the bloodbowl character stats posted.  'why am I being sued' they now whine.  well no shit sherlock, you've posting copyrighted material that isn't yours on your site w/o any type of legal disclaimer.


Here are some things that we should with this site to prevent this from happening to us:

1.  don't imbed images into your post, unless you know that they are open source or your own image.  link back to the original source if it isn't yours rather than imbedding. 
2.  avoid using arwork that has been created by gw.  again, link to it if it's important in making your point.
3.  don't post full rules or stat descriptions.  it's ok to say that a space marine has a toughness 4 or has a 50% chance of hitting somebody with its bolter, but you probably shouldn't rattle off the whole statline and all of it's wargear and universal special rules.  discussing rules and codex entries is ok, but be smart about it...less is more.
4.  keep the disclaimer that was posted yesterday pinned.  while this doesn't exempt us from doing anything we want, it's better than not having one and being caught completely with our pants down.

It was the reason I actually posted it up there. I will also keep an eye on posts from here on in, making sure that sources are properly acknowledged and whatnot. This might be a good point to reference section 2C of the Rules of the Road:

2c. Copyrighted material: If you quote text from another web site then please properly credit the source. Not doing so constitutes plagiarism, always include a source link with quoted material. Members are asked to copy only as much as is necessary when quoting copyrighted material from other web sites, do not copy and paste entire articles or web pages

I agree though, there are plenty of other big sites out there that function perfectly and are about GW products but don't step on their toes. I don jkinda wonder about sites that are purely blogs or whatnot, and make no money in any way, and sell no products.
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Lauby
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dethtron
Nov 13 2009, 04:07 PM
there is a theme running with the blogs that are being shut down...namely retardation... ...moreover, theses few sites have done it pretty stupidly and blatantly.

Beat me to it.

But I'd also like to add that what's also drawing GW's attention is the fact that these sites are receiving money for advertising and donations on top of using GW IP without permission.

Hoags - if you're really worried about GW crushing your skull, read this:

GE Legal stuff as regards to IP

I've read through it and we seem clear. Always good to double check, though. Your disclaimer was the last thing we were missing.

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Memento Mori
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Lauby
Nov 13 2009, 11:31 AM
dethtron
Nov 13 2009, 04:07 PM
there is a theme running with the blogs that are being shut down...namely retardation...  ...moreover, theses few sites have done it pretty stupidly and blatantly.

Beat me to it.

But I'd also like to add that what's also drawing GW's attention is the fact that these sites are receiving money for advertising and donations on top of using GW IP without permission.

Hoags - if you're really worried about GW crushing your skull, read this:

GE Legal stuff as regards to IP

I've read through it and we seem clear. Always good to double check, though. Your disclaimer was the last thing we were missing.

Awesome, thank you kind sir :)
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Lauby
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Memento Mori
Nov 10 2009, 01:57 PM
Heresiarch
Nov 10 2009, 01:01 AM
Thats just balls in a sandwich!

It seems a little over the top to threaten legal action to a site that if anything is drumming up more interest in your product. I understand that for some reason they felt that the contributions that that site was receiving was profiting the chap, but a little research would have surely proved that and also that was money that wasn't going to go to GW elsewise.


I understand the company wanting to protect their intellectual properties and all that, but surely the contributions were just to pay for the website?

Just noticed these points. I am by no means picking on you guys, just wanted to shed some light on things a bit.

Here's the deal with the whole 'profit' issue. The intent of the money being received, what its being used on and any lack of actual profit are irrelevant. Granted the adds and donations could be strictly to pay for server fees, but its still a financial transaction - on some level, the sites are generating money while making use of GW IP. Since the sites in question are GW fan sites, they are, in effect, generating money from GW's IP.

Now, I'm not taking GW's side. But, its important to know WHY things like this happen and how to avoid them.

Personally, I think this is all a tremendous dick move. These fan sites are basically free advertizing in many ways. Why beat 'em up?

But opinion is irrelevant until one can afford the legal fees to stand up to in a court case.



One last thing: Hoagy, where did you get the Inquisition symbols in the banner from?


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Memento Mori
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Man, there are a bunch of posts over at Tabletop Gaming News with more C&D letters from GW. Seems like they are gunning for forums as well as Librarium Online.... Crazy stuff! :blink:
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Memento Mori
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Lauby
Nov 15 2009, 02:49 PM



One last thing:  Hoagy, where did you get the Inquisition symbols in the banner from?

These were found online, I believe they were created by someone. (I couldn't tell, as the webpage was not in English). I'm thinking of changing it up for some generic Fleur De Lys's or something. I don't need the GW legal trolls after me.

It makes me wonder though, what about our avatars???
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dethtron
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Nov 30 2009, 02:14 PM


It makes me wonder though, what about our avatars???

don't take this as the gospel truth, but I believe that avatars are not the responsibility of the forum, but the individual contributor. which means that LOLcats could sue dethtron for use of their image, but not sue chamber militant. that's something that's unlikely to cause a problem, though.
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Frank
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This is what I think of GW's IP policy.

I'll be looking for a new avatar, just to be on the safe side.
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